Musculoskeletal injury in an Australian professional ballet company, 2018-2021: 953 medical-attention and 706 time-loss injuries over 4 years

Louise Drysdale; Zara Gomes; Liam A Toohey; Kate Pumpa; Phil Newman

doi:10.2519/jospt.2023.11858

Musculoskeletal injury in an Australian professional ballet company, 2018-2021: 953 medical-attention and 706 time-loss injuries over 4 years

Louise Drysdale, Zara Gomes, Liam A Toohey, Kate Pumpa, Phil Newman

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To describe the incidence rate, frequency, severity, recurrence, and burden of musculoskeletal injury in professional ballet. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiological (retrospective). METHODS: Professional dancers (n = 73, 40 females, 33 males) provided consent for retrospective review of musculoskeletal injury data. Medical-attention injuries were reported to and recorded by onsite physiotherapists between January 2018 and December 2021. Time-loss injuries were any injury that prevented a dancer from taking a full part in all dance-related activities for >1 day. Injuries were classified using the OSICS-10.1 system. Injury incidence rates (IIRs; injuries/1000 h), severity, recurrence, and burden were calculated. RESULTS: Nine hundred and fifty-three medical-attention injuries were recorded in 72 (98%) dancers at an IIR of 2.79/1000 h (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.62-2.98). 706 were time-loss injuries, which were reported in 70 dancers at an IIR of 2.07/1000 h (95% CI: 1.92, 2.23). Overuse injuries represented 53% of medical-attention injuries. The most frequently injured body area and tissue/pathology were thoracic facet joint (n = 63/953, 7%) and ankle synovitis/impingement (n = 62/953, 6%). Bone stress injuries (BSIs) were the most severe with the highest median time loss (135 days, interquartile range [IQR] 181) followed by fractures (72.5 days, IQR 132). The injuries with the highest burden were tibial BSIs (13 days lost/1000 h; 95% CI: 13, 14). Jumping and lifting were the most frequently reported injury mechanisms. CONCLUSION: Almost all dancers required medical attention for at least one injury during the surveillance period. Approximately 74% of injuries resulted in time loss. BSIs and ankle synovitis/impingement were of high burden, and a high proportion of BSIs were recurrent. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2023;53(11):712-722. Epub 14 September 2023. doi:10.2519/jospt.2023.11858.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	712-722
Number of pages	11
Journal	Journal of Orthopaedic Sports Physical Therapy
Volume	53
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2023.11858
Publication status	Published - Nov 2023

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10.2519/jospt.2023.11858

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@article{23a62fc5d1da42b78ce323183d889ef1,

title = "Musculoskeletal injury in an Australian professional ballet company, 2018-2021: 953 medical-attention and 706 time-loss injuries over 4 years",

abstract = "OBJECTIVES: To describe the incidence rate, frequency, severity, recurrence, and burden of musculoskeletal injury in professional ballet. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiological (retrospective). METHODS: Professional dancers (n = 73, 40 females, 33 males) provided consent for retrospective review of musculoskeletal injury data. Medical-attention injuries were reported to and recorded by onsite physiotherapists between January 2018 and December 2021. Time-loss injuries were any injury that prevented a dancer from taking a full part in all dance-related activities for >1 day. Injuries were classified using the OSICS-10.1 system. Injury incidence rates (IIRs; injuries/1000 h), severity, recurrence, and burden were calculated. RESULTS: Nine hundred and fifty-three medical-attention injuries were recorded in 72 (98%) dancers at an IIR of 2.79/1000 h (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.62-2.98). 706 were time-loss injuries, which were reported in 70 dancers at an IIR of 2.07/1000 h (95% CI: 1.92, 2.23). Overuse injuries represented 53% of medical-attention injuries. The most frequently injured body area and tissue/pathology were thoracic facet joint (n = 63/953, 7%) and ankle synovitis/impingement (n = 62/953, 6%). Bone stress injuries (BSIs) were the most severe with the highest median time loss (135 days, interquartile range [IQR] 181) followed by fractures (72.5 days, IQR 132). The injuries with the highest burden were tibial BSIs (13 days lost/1000 h; 95% CI: 13, 14). Jumping and lifting were the most frequently reported injury mechanisms. CONCLUSION: Almost all dancers required medical attention for at least one injury during the surveillance period. Approximately 74% of injuries resulted in time loss. BSIs and ankle synovitis/impingement were of high burden, and a high proportion of BSIs were recurrent. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2023;53(11):712-722. Epub 14 September 2023. doi:10.2519/jospt.2023.11858.",

keywords = "Injury & prevention, musculo-skeletal injury, Stress fractures, Dancing/injuries, Epidemiology, dancing, epidemiology, “fractures, stress”, lower extremity, “fractures, stress”",

author = "Louise Drysdale and Zara Gomes and Toohey, {Liam A} and Kate Pumpa and Phil Newman",

note = "Funding Information: The first author (Louise Drysdale) received an Australian Commonwealth Research Training Program Scholarship. Ethical approval of this study was approved by the University of Canberra Human Ethics Committee (approval no. 9362). The authors certify that they have no affiliations with or financial involvement in any organization or entity with a direct financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in the article. The authors would like tothankLiCunxinAO(artisticdirector),staff, and dancers of Queensland Ballet, Brisbane, Australia. Publisher Copyright: Copyright {\textcopyright}2023 JOSPT{\textregistered}, Inc.",

year = "2023",

month = nov,

doi = "10.2519/jospt.2023.11858",

language = "English",

volume = "53",

pages = "712--722",

journal = "Journal of Orthopaedic Sports Physical Therapy",

publisher = "JOSPT, Inc. JOSPT, 1020 North Fairfax Street, Suite 400-E, Alexandria, VA~…",

number = "11",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Musculoskeletal injury in an Australian professional ballet company, 2018-2021: 953 medical-attention and 706 time-loss injuries over 4 years

AU - Drysdale, Louise

AU - Gomes, Zara

AU - Toohey, Liam A

AU - Pumpa, Kate

AU - Newman, Phil

N1 - Funding Information: The first author (Louise Drysdale) received an Australian Commonwealth Research Training Program Scholarship. Ethical approval of this study was approved by the University of Canberra Human Ethics Committee (approval no. 9362). The authors certify that they have no affiliations with or financial involvement in any organization or entity with a direct financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in the article. The authors would like tothankLiCunxinAO(artisticdirector),staff, and dancers of Queensland Ballet, Brisbane, Australia. Publisher Copyright: Copyright ©2023 JOSPT®, Inc.

PY - 2023/11

Y1 - 2023/11

N2 - OBJECTIVES: To describe the incidence rate, frequency, severity, recurrence, and burden of musculoskeletal injury in professional ballet. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiological (retrospective). METHODS: Professional dancers (n = 73, 40 females, 33 males) provided consent for retrospective review of musculoskeletal injury data. Medical-attention injuries were reported to and recorded by onsite physiotherapists between January 2018 and December 2021. Time-loss injuries were any injury that prevented a dancer from taking a full part in all dance-related activities for >1 day. Injuries were classified using the OSICS-10.1 system. Injury incidence rates (IIRs; injuries/1000 h), severity, recurrence, and burden were calculated. RESULTS: Nine hundred and fifty-three medical-attention injuries were recorded in 72 (98%) dancers at an IIR of 2.79/1000 h (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.62-2.98). 706 were time-loss injuries, which were reported in 70 dancers at an IIR of 2.07/1000 h (95% CI: 1.92, 2.23). Overuse injuries represented 53% of medical-attention injuries. The most frequently injured body area and tissue/pathology were thoracic facet joint (n = 63/953, 7%) and ankle synovitis/impingement (n = 62/953, 6%). Bone stress injuries (BSIs) were the most severe with the highest median time loss (135 days, interquartile range [IQR] 181) followed by fractures (72.5 days, IQR 132). The injuries with the highest burden were tibial BSIs (13 days lost/1000 h; 95% CI: 13, 14). Jumping and lifting were the most frequently reported injury mechanisms. CONCLUSION: Almost all dancers required medical attention for at least one injury during the surveillance period. Approximately 74% of injuries resulted in time loss. BSIs and ankle synovitis/impingement were of high burden, and a high proportion of BSIs were recurrent. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2023;53(11):712-722. Epub 14 September 2023. doi:10.2519/jospt.2023.11858.

AB - OBJECTIVES: To describe the incidence rate, frequency, severity, recurrence, and burden of musculoskeletal injury in professional ballet. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiological (retrospective). METHODS: Professional dancers (n = 73, 40 females, 33 males) provided consent for retrospective review of musculoskeletal injury data. Medical-attention injuries were reported to and recorded by onsite physiotherapists between January 2018 and December 2021. Time-loss injuries were any injury that prevented a dancer from taking a full part in all dance-related activities for >1 day. Injuries were classified using the OSICS-10.1 system. Injury incidence rates (IIRs; injuries/1000 h), severity, recurrence, and burden were calculated. RESULTS: Nine hundred and fifty-three medical-attention injuries were recorded in 72 (98%) dancers at an IIR of 2.79/1000 h (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.62-2.98). 706 were time-loss injuries, which were reported in 70 dancers at an IIR of 2.07/1000 h (95% CI: 1.92, 2.23). Overuse injuries represented 53% of medical-attention injuries. The most frequently injured body area and tissue/pathology were thoracic facet joint (n = 63/953, 7%) and ankle synovitis/impingement (n = 62/953, 6%). Bone stress injuries (BSIs) were the most severe with the highest median time loss (135 days, interquartile range [IQR] 181) followed by fractures (72.5 days, IQR 132). The injuries with the highest burden were tibial BSIs (13 days lost/1000 h; 95% CI: 13, 14). Jumping and lifting were the most frequently reported injury mechanisms. CONCLUSION: Almost all dancers required medical attention for at least one injury during the surveillance period. Approximately 74% of injuries resulted in time loss. BSIs and ankle synovitis/impingement were of high burden, and a high proportion of BSIs were recurrent. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2023;53(11):712-722. Epub 14 September 2023. doi:10.2519/jospt.2023.11858.

KW - Injury & prevention

KW - musculo-skeletal injury

KW - Stress fractures

KW - Dancing/injuries

KW - Epidemiology

KW - dancing

KW - epidemiology

KW - “fractures, stress”

KW - lower extremity

KW - “fractures

KW - stress”

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U2 - 10.2519/jospt.2023.11858

DO - 10.2519/jospt.2023.11858

M3 - Article

VL - 53

SP - 712

EP - 722

JO - Journal of Orthopaedic Sports Physical Therapy

JF - Journal of Orthopaedic Sports Physical Therapy

IS - 11

ER -

Musculoskeletal injury in an Australian professional ballet company, 2018-2021: 953 medical-attention and 706 time-loss injuries over 4 years

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