Impact of Attentional Focus on Dance Performance: A Critically Appraised Topic.

CLINICAL SCENARIO: Dancing is a demanding esthetic activity with dancers having an 85% annual injury incident rate when performing complex dance motor skills. Teachers and clinicians use a combination of external and internal attentional cues when teaching dancers motor skills and when working on rehabilitation programs with injured dancers, respectively. External attentional focus (ie, focusing on movement outcome) reportedly results in superior performance than internal attentional focus (ie, focus on body movements). Interestingly, dancers reportedly often adopt an internal focus when dancing. Still, limited literature exists examining the effects of attentional focus on dancers' performance. CLINICAL QUESTION: How does attentional focus (external or internal) impact performance in dancers? SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS: Four original quasi-experimental studies met inclusion criteria. In the current examination, we found mixed results about the impact of attentional focus in dancers. Specifically, using an external attentional focus resulted in better performance in 2 studies, but these findings were limited to lesser experienced dancers. Experienced dancers did not have any physical performance differences when using external or internal focus. Internal focus also did not negatively affect dancers' performance in 2 studies. Some authors noted positive motivational effects (eg, increased perceived competence) when dancers used external focus. CLINICAL BOTTOM LINE: Low-quality evidence exists supporting the notion that in less experienced dance students, external focus improves performance. In experienced dancers, the type of attentional focus did not impact performance. External focus provides positive mental effects. Thus, clinicians working with dancers can integrate individualized feedback according to dancer level, with a preference toward external focus due to positive mental effects, to design optimal training and rehabilitation programs. STRENGTH OF RECOMMENDATION: Grade B evidence exists supporting the notion that an external attentional focus improves performance in less experienced dance students and also has positive mental effects. Internal attentional focus does not impede experienced dancers' performance.

Two-megahertz impedance index prediction equation for appendicular lean mass in Korean older people.

BACKGROUND: Whole-body bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) has been accepted as an indirect method to estimate appendicular lean mass (ALM) comparable to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). However, single or limited frequencies currently used for these estimates may over or under-estimate ALM. Accordingly, there is a need to measure the impedance parameter with appendicular lean-specific across multiple frequencies to more accurately estimate ALM. We aimed to validate muscle-specific frequency BIA equation for ALM using multifrequency BIA (MF-BIA) with DXA as the reference. METHODS: 195 community-dwelling Korean older people (94 men and 101 women) aged 70 ~ 92y participated in this study. ALM was measured by DXA and bioimpedance measures at frequencies of 5 kHz ~ 3 MHz were assessed for independent predictive variables. Regression analyses were used to find limb-specific frequencies of bioimpedance, to develop the ALM equations and to conduct the internal cross-validation. The six published equations and the final equation of MF-BIA were externally cross-validated. RESULTS: 195 participants completed the measurements of MF-BIA and DXA. Using bivariate regression analysis, the 2 MHz impedance index explained R2 = 91.5% of variability (P < 0.001) in ALM and predictive accuracy of standard error of estimate (SEE) was 1.0822 kg ALM (P < 0.001). Multiple stepwise regression analysis obtained in the development group had an adjusted R2 of 9.28% (P < 0.001) and a SEE of 0.97 kg ALM. The cross-validation group had no significant difference between the measured ALM and the predicted ALM (17.8 ± 3.9 kg vs. 17.7 ± 3.8 kg, P = .486) with 93.1% of R2 (P < 0.001) and 1.00 kg ALM of total error. The final regression equation was as follows: ALM = 0.247ZI@2 MHz + 1.254SEXM1F0 + 0.067Xc@5 kHz + 1.739 with 93% of R2 (P < 0.001), 0.97 kg ALM of SEE (Subjective Rating as "excellent" for men and "very good" for women). In the analysis of the diagnostic level for sarcopenia of the final regression, the overall agreement was 94.9% (k = 0.779, P < 0.001) with 71.4% of sensitivity, 98.8% of specificity, 91.3 of positive prediction value and 95.3% of negative prediction value. CONCLUSION: The newly developed appendicular lean-specific high-frequency BIA prediction equation has a high predictive accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and agreement for both individual and group measurements. Thus, the high-frequency BIA prediction equation is suitable not only for epidemiological studies, but also for the diagnosis of sarcopenia in clinical settings.

Upper-Body Strength Endurance and Power Norms in Healthy Collegiate Dancers: A 10-year Prospective Study.

ABSTRACT: Coogan, SM, Hansen-Honeycutt, J, Fauntroy, V, and Ambegaonkar, JP. Upper-body strength endurance and power norms in healthy collegiate dancers: A 10-year prospective study. J Strength Cond Res 35(6): 1599-1603, 2021-Dance is physically demanding and requires dancers to have adequate upper body (UB), core, and lower-body fitness to perform successfully. 50-85% of dancers suffer injury during a performance season. Although a large number of dancer's injuries are to the lower body, several dance genres (e.g., modern, hip hop, and salsa) use UB motions such as partner lifts and holds, which may result in a higher risk for UB injury. Health care practitioners often use baseline physical performance normative values to determine their clients' fitness levels and when planning training programs to prevent or rehabilitate postinjury. Still, little information exists regarding UB fitness norms among collegiate dancers. Thus, our purpose was to determine UB strength endurance and power norms in healthy collegiate dancers. We recorded UB muscular fitness in 214 healthy collegiate dancers (males: n = 26, 174.0 ± 6.7 cm, 71.3 ± 9.2 kg and females: n = 188, 163.0 ± 6.1 cm, 59.3 ± 6.8 kg) prospectively over a 10-year period (2008-2018) in a dance program that emphasizes modern and ballet dance. For UB strength endurance, we recorded the number of push-ups a dancer was able to perform without forcibly straining or losing form for 2 consecutive repetitions. For UB power, dancers sat with legs outstretched, backs flat against a wall, and threw a 3-kg ball horizontally from their chest as far as possible (distance thrown normalized to body height, *BH). The best attempt of 3 trials was used for statistical analyses. We report descriptive statistics, interquartile ranges (IQRs), and percentiles for both outcome measures. Dancers performed 20.4 ± 10.6 (range: 2-70, IQR: 12-24; males: 32.5 ± 14.4; females: 18.4 ± 8.4) push-ups and threw the medicine ball 1.8 ± 0.5 *BH (range: 45-3.9, IQR: 1.4-2.1; females: 1.7 ± 0.5; males: 2.3 ± 0.7). Overall, in this long-term prospective study, we developed UB fitness norms for dancers. The push-up test and medicine ball throw test are simple, low-tech, and inexpensive to test dancers UB fitness. Although dancers' UB muscular fitness was lower than previous reports among traditional sport athletes, these values may not necessarily indicate problems, as subjects were all healthy collegiate-level dancers. Rather, our findings reinforce the need to develop dance-specific norms so that practitioners can use these values to assess dancers' UB fitness and devise interventions appropriately. These results provide baseline UB muscular fitness norms among collegiate modern and ballet dancers, and further support the notion that differing norms are needed for different sports and dance genres. Specifically, future researchers should similarly develop norms across different dance genres for preprofessional and professional dancers and also examine whether these norms can predict dancers' injury risk or performance.

Using the Selective Functional Movement Assessment for the Evaluation of Dancers' Functional Limitations and Dysfunctions: A Critically Appraised Topic.

Clinical Scenario: Dancers participate in a functionally demanding activity. Athletic participation typically requires the completion of a preparticipation examination, which involves a functional movement screen offering insight into potential injury recognition. The Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) was created to measure the status of movement-pattern-related pain and dysfunction using regionally interdependent movement to aggravate symptoms and exhibit limitations and dysfunctions. Still, a functional assessment has not been identified to recognize potential dysfunctions or limitations in this population. Clinical Question: Does the use of the SFMA improve overall evaluation of dancers by providing more information on a dancer's overall functional ability and limitations? Summary of Key Findings: The literature search discovered 12 studies and 3 books in which 4 studies were included (2 case reviews, 1 case report, and 1 original research study) based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Three of the studies provided clinical case studies utilizing the SFMA to improve the patient's dysfunctions, whereas 1 study examined the intrarater and interrater reliability of the SFMA. In 3 studies, participants displayed less movement dysfunction. The authors from 3 of the studies agreed the SFMA was a valuable tool for clinicians to use during evaluations, as it provided a more holistic view of the patient, discovering dysfunctional movement patterns that may better identify the source of injury. Clinical Bottom Line: Low-quality evidence, defined as poorly designed case studies, case series, and cohort studies, exist that supports improvement of overall evaluations when utilizing the SFMA. Although the studies were considered low-quality evidence, each included study displayed an effective use of the SFMA as an overall evaluation that correctly identified dysfunctional movement patterns. Strength of Recommendation: Grade C evidence exists that the SFMA contributes to the functional evaluation used in dancers.

Lower Extremity Horizontal Work But Not Vertical Power Predicts Lower Extremity Injury in Female Collegiate Dancers.

Ambegaonkar, JP, Schock, CS, Caswell, SV, Cortes, N, Hansen-Honeycutt, J, and Wyon, MA. Lower extremity horizontal work but not vertical power predicts lower extremity injury in female collegiate dancers. J Strength Cond Res 32(7): 2018-2024, 2018-Dancers often perform powerful and explosive movements that require adequate lower extremity (LE) activity in horizontal and vertical directions. We examined whether these measures were interrelated and whether they predicted LE injury status in dancers using binary logistic regressions and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analyses. Forty-three collegiate female dancers (18 ± 0.7 years; 162.6 ± 5.9 cm; 59.4 ± 7.1 kg) performed single leg hop (SLH, m) and vertical jump (VJ, cm) tests. Single leg hop and VJ distances were used to calculate SLH norm (as a % of body height) and vertical power (vPower, watts). Lower extremity injuries and dance exposure hours (DEhrs) were recorded for 16 weeks. Dancers had 51 injuries resulting in a 3.7/1,000 DEhr injury incidence rate (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.7-4.7). Twenty dancers were injured, whereas 23 remained injury free. Injured dancers had significantly lower SLH norm than noninjured dancers (t = 2.7, p = 0.009, 85.2 ± 11.2% vs. 76.8 ± 8.4%, respectively), but vPower was similar (t = 0.6, p = 0.53, injured = 2,632.0 ± 442.9 watts, noninjured = 2,722.7 ± 480.0 watts). SLH norm, but not vPower significantly predicted injury status χ(1,43) = 5.9, p = 0.02. Specifically, an SLH norm cut-off value of 78.2% identified dancers at injury risk (area under the curve = 0.73, SE = 0.08, p = 0.01, 95% CI = 0.57-0.89, sensitivity = 0.75, specificity = 0.70). However, vPower was not able to identify dancers at risk (p = 0.36). vPower had moderate relationships with SLH norm (r = 0.31, p = 0.04). Compared with injured dancers, noninjured dancers had greater SLH norm but similar vPower. Only SLH norm predicted injury status in female collegiate dancers. Thus, the SLH test may possibly predict LE injury risk in dancers. Strength and conditioning coaches can prospectively use baseline SLH test screenings to identify dancers whose SLH is less than 78.2% of their height because these dancers may have increased probability of LE injury risk. Coaches can then include horizontal direction exercises when designing training programs and examine whether these programs reduce LE injury risk in female collegiate dancers.

Recognizing and Managing Snapping Hip Syndrome in Dancers.

BACKGROUND: Snapping hip syndrome (SHS) is a common hip pathology in dancers. SHS can be either internal or external, resulting from muscle tendon tightness from repetitive hip flexion and extension, accompanied with hip abduction and/or external rotation. Muscular tightness may cause the tendon to become taut and snap over a bony prominence during hip movement, leading to muscular weakness and reduced range of motion from pain. Because SHS is poorly identified and can present similarly to other hip pathologies, many SHS incidences are underreported or misdiagnosed. Though SHS can begin as a harmless popping sensation, pain can become severe enough to limit dancers' activities and potentially result in the development of concomitant issues. EVALUATION: Physical examination for snapping hip includes moving the hip from flexion, abduction, and external rotation (FABER) into extension, adduction, and rotated to a neutral position. Dynamic ultrasound can also be used to study SHS, as using this method allows clinicians to observe the snapping tendon in real-time. Radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging may serve to rule out other differential diagnoses. MANAGEMENT: Conservative management through rehabilitative therapy is the standard for initial management. In severe cases, arthroscopic intervention may be useful in releasing tension in the pathological tendon. Active rest with training modifications should be attempted to mitigate further injury. CONCLUSION: Early and comprehensive examination and management can help to reduce SHS risk and potentially decrease the ability of this debilitating condition to derail a dancer's career.

Knee kinematics is altered post-fatigue while performing a crossover task.

PURPOSE: To examine the effect of a sequential fatigue protocol on lower extremity biomechanics during a crossover cutting task in female soccer players. METHODS: Eighteen female collegiate soccer players alternated between a fatigue protocol and two consecutive unanticipated crossover trials until fatigue was reached. Lower extremity biomechanics were evaluated during the crossover using a 3D motion capture system and two force plates. Repeated-measures ANOVAs analysed differences between three sequential stages of fatigue (pre, 50, 100%) for each dependent variable (α = 0.05). RESULTS: Knee flexion angles at initial contact (IC) for pre (-32 ± 9°) and 50% (-29 ± 11°) were significantly higher than at 100% fatigue (-22 ± 9°) (p < 0.001 and p = 0.015, respectively). Knee adduction angles at IC for pre (9 ± 5°) and 50% (8 ± 4°) were significantly higher (p = 0.006 and p = 0.049, respectively) than at 100% fatigue (6 ± 4°). CONCLUSIONS: Fatigue altered sagittal and frontal knee kinematics after 50% fatigue whereupon participants had diminished knee control at initial contact. Interventions should attempt to reduce the negative effects of fatigue on lower extremity biomechanics by promoting appropriate frontal plane alignment and increased knee flexion during fatigue status. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Postural stability does not differ among female sports with high risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Dancers have a lower incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury compared to athletes in sports that involve cutting and landing motions. Balance can impact ACL injury risk and is related to neuromuscular control during movement. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether balance differences exist among female dancers and female soccer and basketball athletes. Fifty-eight female dancers, soccer, and basketball athletes (16.5 ± 1.6 yrs, 1.6 ± 0.2 m, 60.2 ± 14.1 kg) completed the Stability Evaluation Test (SET) on the NeuroCom VSR Sport (NeuroCom International, Clackamas, OR) to measure sway velocity. Video records of the SET test were used for Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) test scoring. A oneway ANCOVA compared composite sway velocity and BESS scores among sports. There was no statistically significant difference for sway velocity or BESS among sports (sway velocity soccer 2.3 ± 0.4, dance 2.2 ± 0.4, and basketball 2.4 ± 0.4; BESS soccer 13.6 ± 5.0, dance 11.9 ± 5.5, and basketball 14.9 ± 5.1, p>0.05). Balance was similar among athletes participating in different sports (dance, basketball, and soccer). Quasi-static balance may not play a significant role in neuromuscular control during movement and not be a significant risk factor to explain the disparity in ACL injury incidence among sports. Future research should examine the effects of dynamic balance and limb asymmetries among sports to elucidate on the existing differences on ACL injury incidence rates.

Fit to dance survey: a comparison with dancesport injuries.

The Fit to Dance survey has been conducted twice previously, in 1993 and 2002, without dancesport participants. The purpose of this present online survey was to supplement a comparison of dancesport against the earlier results. The current study had a greater percentage of male respondents than previous studies (43% vs 24% and 26%). The dancesport participants were older (28% at 40+ yrs vs 3% and 1%) and more likely to have normal (69% vs 57%) to overweight BMI (18% vs 2%). Dancesport participants spent more time in various non-dancing conditioning activities than previous surveys (5.2 ± 3.9 hrs SD vs 1.9 ± 2.5 and 2.2 ± 2.7). Muscles and joints were the most common type of injury in all the surveys. The knee was the top injury site in this survey, with lower back in previous surveys. The main perceived cause of injury was repetitive movements, whereas fatigue and overwork were cited in the previous surveys. Physiotherapists were the most common type of medical professionals from whom the dancers sought treatment for their injuries in all surveys. The first survey included recommendations that the present survey results agree with, including: dancers should be physically fit, dancers should warm up and cool down, dancers should never have to work in unsuitable environments, and dancers should receive immediate high-quality treatment for injuries.

Lumbar lordosis in female collegiate dancers and gymnasts.

OBJECTIVE: Postural deviations can predispose an individual to increased injury risk. Specifically, lumbar deviations are related to increased low back pain and injury. Dancers and gymnasts are anecdotally suggested to have exaggerated lumbar lordosis and subsequently may be at increased risk of lumbar pathologies. Our objective was to examine lumbar lordosis levels in dancers and gymnasts. METHODS: We examined lumbar lordosis in 47 healthy collegiate females (17 dancers, 29 gymnasts; mean age 20.2 ± 1.6 yrs) using 2-dimensional sagittal plane photographs and the Watson MacDonncha Posture Analysis instrument. Participants' lordosis levels were cross-tabulated and a Mann-Whitney U-test compared lumbar lordosis between groups (p<0.05). RESULTS: Most participants (89.4%, n=42) exhibited either marked (dancers 50%, n=9; gymnasts 62.1%, n=18; combined 57.4%, n=27) or moderate (dancers 27.8%, n=5; gymnasts 34.5%, n=10; combined 31.9%, n=15) lumbar lordosis deviations. The distribution of lordosis was similar across groups (p=0.22). CONCLUSIONS: Most dancers and gymnasts had moderate or marked lumbar lordosis. The extreme ranges of motion required during dancing and gymnastics may contribute to the participants' high lumbar lordosis. Instructors should be aware that there may be links between repetitive hyperextension activities and lumbar lordosis levels in dancers and gymnasts. Thus, they should proactively examine lumbar lordosis in their dancers and gymnasts. How much age of training onset, regimens, survivor bias, or other factors influence lumbar lordosis requires study. Longitudinal studies are also needed to determine if lumbar lordosis levels influence lumbar injury incidence in dancers and gymnasts.

Kinesiophobia in Injured Athletes: A Systematic Review.

Athletes have a high risk of injury. Kinesiophobia is a condition in which an individual experiences a fear of physical movement and activity after an injury occurs. Our purpose was to systematically review the literature about Kinesiophobia in athletes. A systematic review was conducted in February 2023 using PubMed, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Medline. Studies were included if they were peer-reviewed, in English, within the last 20 years and included athletes who had been injured and tracked Kinesiophobia. Articles were checked for quality via the modified Downs and Black checklist. Fourteen studies were included in the review and had an average "fair" quality score. Authors examined Kinesiophobia in injured athletes with mostly lower-extremity injuries. Kinesiophobia was associated with lower physical and mental outcomes. Kinesiophobia exists in athletes and can affect both physical and mental factors. The Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK) was the most common tool used to examine Kinesiophobia. Common mental factors associated with Kinesiophobia include anxiety, low confidence, and fear avoidance.

Multifactorial Exercise Intervention Decreases Falls Risk in High-risk and Low-risk Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: Each year, 1 in 4 people over the age of 65 years of age will experience a fall. It is important to identify and address modifiable risk factors that are associated with falls in adults at high and low risk for falls. HYPOTHESIS: Falls risk improves in both high-risk and low-risk participants with the implementation of Stay Active and Independent for Life (SAIL). STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3. METHODS: Seventy-eight older adults (age, 70.9 ± 5.1 years) were included in this study and categorized into high risk and low risk for falling based on the falls risk score from the Physiological Profile Assessment. High risk was defined as having a preintervention falls risk score >1, whereas low risk was defined as having a preintervention falls risk score <1. Both groups had the same 10-week intervention. A multivariate analysis of covariance was used to compare differences pre- and postintervention, using preintervention falls risk score as covariate. RESULTS: Results showed that regardless of preintervention falls risk, participants showed significant improvements in right and left knee extensor strength and sit-to-stand after participation in the 10-week SAIL program. Also, noteworthy is that 15 participants who were considered at high risk for falling preintervention were considered low risk for falling postintervention. CONCLUSION: The positive outcomes noted on modifiable risk factors suggest SAIL can be beneficial for decreasing falls risk in older adults, regardless of risk of falling, using a multifactorial exercise intervention. Our results also showed that it was possible for participants not only to improve falls risk but to improve to such a degree that they change from high risk to low risk of falling. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Our results demonstrated that SAIL was effective in improving overall fall risk after a 10-week intervention. Targeted community-based interventions for the aging population can bring physical health benefits that can decrease falls risk.

Changing sagittal plane body position during single-leg landings influences the risk of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injury.

PURPOSE: To examine the effects of different sagittal plane body positions during single-leg landings on biomechanics and muscle activation parameters associated with risk for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. METHODS: Twenty participants performed single-leg drop landings onto a force plate using the following landing styles: self-selected, leaning forward (LFL) and upright (URL). Lower extremity and trunk 3D biomechanics and lower extremity muscle activities were recorded using motion analysis and surface electromyography, respectively. Differences in landing styles were examined using 2-way Repeated-measures ANOVAs (sex × landing conditions) followed by Bonferroni pairwise comparisons. RESULTS: Participants demonstrated greater peak vertical ground reaction force, greater peak knee extensor moment, lesser plantar flexion, lesser or no hip extensor moments, and lesser medial and lateral gastrocnemius and lateral quadriceps muscle activations during URL than during LFL. These modifications of lower extremity biomechanics across landing conditions were similar between men and women. CONCLUSIONS: Leaning forward while landing appears to protect the ACL by increasing the shock absorption capacity and knee flexion angles and decreasing anterior shear force due to the knee joint compression force and quadriceps muscle activation. Conversely, landing upright appears to be ACL harmful by increasing the post-impact force of landing and quadriceps muscle activity while decreasing knee flexion angles, all of which lead to a greater tibial anterior shear force and ACL loading. ACL injury prevention programmes should include exercise regimens to improve sagittal plane body position control during landing motions.

A bibliographic review of medicine and science research in dancesport.

DanceSport is the competitive form of ballroom dancing, and even though it has more participants worldwide than ballet and modern dance, there is less peer-reviewed research. A review was conducted to identify all relevant literature to help researchers and clinicians gain an enhanced understanding of dancesport. Eight databases were searched, with 34 articles found in topics including participation motives, psychology, exercise physiology, fitness training, injuries and injury prevention, biomechanics, menstrual dysfunction, and substance use. Our results indicate that researchers have been inconsistently recording and reporting anthropometric and dancesport data; for example, 31 studies separated participants by gender, 21 included the competition classification of dancers, 19 reported which style of dancesport participants competed in, and 13 described the participants as a dance couple. Common injuries affected the neck, shoulder, spine, knee, lower leg, and foot. Dancesport is in the very heavy to extremely heavy category in energy expenditure (mean heart rate: male 175.2 ± 10.7, female 178.6 ± 8.6 bpm) and utilizes both aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. Alpha-beta and heart rate variability intervention techniques are reported to successfully enhance performance in dancers. Dancesport participants also appear less likely to smoke cigarettes, but have little knowledge about anti-doping rules. During events, professionals danced farther (30 m) and faster (0.3 m/sec) than junior dancers. Female competitors were more likely to be eumenorrheic. Dancesport is a physically and mentally demanding competitive sport, but there is a need to standardize measurements in future studies to allow comparison.

Blood Lactate and Heart Rate Responses Between Active and Passive Recovery Modes Over a 15-Minute Recovery Period in Female Dancers After Kathak Dance.

Introduction: Dance is physically demanding and results in blood lactate (BL) accumulation and elevated Heart Rate (HR). Researchers recommend using either Active Recovery (AR; eg, low-to-moderate intensity-exercise) or Passive Recovery (PR; eg, complete rest) modes after activity. We compared BL and HR responses between AR or PR over a 15-minute recovery period following a Kathak dance. Methods: Twelve female dancers (31.0 ± 6.0 years; 161.5 ± 4.9 cm; 55.5 ± 5.8 kg) performed 2 dance testing sessions (Day 1 = AR, Day 2 = PR) 48 hours apart. Each session started with a 10-minute warm up followed by dancers performing four 2-minute stages of Kathak dance, with three 1-minute periods between stages where we recorded HR and their Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE:scale = 6-20) to match the intensity of both sessions. Post-dance, we recorded dancers' BL and HR at 1, 3, 5, 10, and 15 minutes while they recovered via AR or PR. Separate 2(mode) × (time) Repeated-Measures-ANOVA followed by simple-main-effects testing and adjusted Bonferroni-pairwise-comparisons examined differences in BL and HR responses across modes and time(α = .05). Results: Dancers' HR and RPE were similar across sessions. No mode × time interaction existed in BL (F4,8 = 3.6, P = .06). BL levels were similar across modes (F1,2 = 0.5, P = .5). BL levels reduced over time (F4,8 = 6.0, P = .02), but Bonferroni-comparisons did not reveal any pairwise differences. In HR a significant mode*time interaction (F4,36 = 11.0, P = .01, η2 = .55) was observed. Both Active and Passive recovery modes achieved absolute HR levels by 15 minutes, with PR mode stabilizing within 5 minutes. Conclusions: Over a 15-minute recovery period after Kathak dance, dancers' BL and HR responses were similar across time in both AR and PR, with HR being higher in AR. Dancers' HR remained similar from 1 to 3 minute post dance recovery and then dropped over time. Thus, dancers can rest up to 3 minutes and still maintain the same elevated HR. Overall, dancers can choose either AR or PR as their recovery mode based on their individual preferences.

Spinal Counts, Impact, and Partnering Movements in Ballet, Modern, and Hip Hop dance: A YouTube Video Analysis Study.

INTRODUCTION: Dancers have self-reported a link between spinal extension movements and low back pain (LBP). Researchers have not reported the total number or frequency that spinal movements occur in ballet, modern, or hip-hop dance classes or performances. The purpose of this study was to report the number of spinal movements dancers are exposed to in different dance environments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed 65 dance videos on YouTube.com for dance movements within 7 dance environments: ballet class and performance, modern class and performance, and hip-hop breaking, ciphers (large groups), and battles ("1v1s"). Two reviewers recorded counts of spinal (spinal flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation), impact (jumps, leaps, and falls), and partnering movements (lifts, catches, and leans). Data analyses were processed in Jamovi (the jamovi project, Sydney, Australia). We reported movement totals, percentages, frequency, ranges, means with standard deviations (SD), and medians with interquartile range (IQR). We calculated significant differences using Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: Video length ranged from 3 to 141 minutes (mean ± SD: 38.4 ± 38.3, range: 138). the average spinal extension movements ranged from 2 ± 0.8 to 7 ± 9.6 movements per minute across genres. Modern dance class had the most spinal flexion (89 ± 53.6), rotation (60 ± 40.8), and lateral flexion (74 ± 20.7) movements. Ballet performance had the most spinal extension movements (77 ± 69.8), jumps (74 ± 48), and leaps (19 ± 18.2). Hip-hop breaking had the highest number of falling movements (2 ± 2.3). Partnering movements were only present in ballet performance, modern dance performance, and hip-hop breaking environments. CONCLUSIONS: Movements that increase LBP occur often in all 3 dance genres. Dancers can expect frequent exposure to spinal extension movements; therefore, we recommend strengthening back and core musculature for all dancers. We recommend that ballet dancers also strengthen their lower extremity muscles. For modern dancers, we recommend strengthening their obliques. For hip-hop dancers, we recommend increasing muscular power and muscular endurance.

Sleep, Dance Exposure Hours, and Injury Risk in Collegiate Dancers.

INTRODUCTION: Sleep is essential for athletes and dancers to optimize recovery. Poor sleep negatively affects cognitive function and injury risk in athletes. Increased athletic participation (hours) is associated with decreased total sleep and quality in athletes. Still, information about how sleep is related with exposure hours and injury in collegiate dancers remains unclear. We examined the relationships among the Athlete Sleep Behavior Questionnaire (ASBQ), dance exposure hours (DEHr), and injuries in collegiate dancers over a 7 -month period (August 2019-February 2020). METHODS: Seventy-two dancers (58 female, 14 male; 19.7 ± 1.4 years) completed the 18 question ASBQ at the start of each month (Scale:1 = Never, 5 = Always; Global Scores ≤36 = "good sleep behavior" and ≥42 = "poor sleep behavior"). A DEHr was recorded as 1 hour of dance participation in class, rehearsal, or performance. Injuries were defined as any condition where the dancer sought medical attention, and we calculated an injury rate for total injuries (IR/1000 DEHr). Pearson correlations examined relationships among ASBQ, DEHr, and injuries (P ≤ .05). RESULTS: Dancers participated in 467.8 ± 45.7 DEHr over 7 months, with 14 dancers suffering 18 injuries (IR = 0.5/1000-DEHr; 95% CI:0.3-0.8). Overall, dancers reported poor sleep behaviors (42.6 ± 6.4). ASBQ scores, DEHr, and injuries in August-October, and December-February were not related, except for a weak positive relationship between ASBQ scores and DEHr in November (r = .28, P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: Sleep, DEHr, and injuries were inconsistently related in collegiate dancers. Sleep and DEHr were only correlated during the month where dancers had 2 performance weeks. While we did not observe this relationship every month, performance weeks may have negatively affected sleep in November. Despite consistent poor sleep, sleep did not seem to negatively affect injury risk during the 7 -month study period. Future researchers should validate the ASBQ in dancers.

Female Collegiate Dancers' Physical Fitness across Their Four-Year Programs: A Prospective Analysis.

Dance is physically demanding, requiring physical fitness (PF) that includes upper body, lower body, core fitness, and balance for successful performance. Whether PF changes as dancers advance from when they enter (freshmen) to when they graduate from their collegiate program (seniors) is unclear. We prospectively compared collegiate dancers' freshman-to-senior PF. We recorded PF in regard to upper body strength endurance (push-ups), core strength endurance (front, left-side, right-side, and extensor plank hold times), lower body power (single leg hop-SLH-distances % height; Leg Symmetry Index: LSI = higher/lower × 100, %), and balance (anterior reach balance, % leg length, LL; LSI balance = higher/lower × 100, %) in 23 female collegiate dancers (freshman age = 18.2 ± 0.6 years). Repeated measures ANOVAs (p ≤ 0.05) were used to compare measures from freshman to senior years. Across their collegiate programs, dancers' PF remained unchanged. Specifically, their upper body strength endurance push-up numbers (p = 0.93), their core strength endurance plank times (left: p = 0.44, right: p = 0.67, front: p = 0.60, p = 0.22), their SLH distances (left: p = 0.44, right: p = 0.85), and their symmetry (p = 0.16) stayed similar. Also, dancers' right leg (p = 0.08) and left leg balance (p = 0.06) remained similar, with better balance symmetry (p < 0.001) in seniors. Overall, dancers' PF did not change across their collegiate programs. Thus, female dancers' freshman PF may be an adequate baseline reference measure when devising rehabilitation programs and determining readiness-to-return-to-activity post injury.

Community arts engagement supports perceptions of personal growth in older adults.

PURPOSE: The effects of arts engagement on older adults have been well-documented. However, the ways older adults overcome common situational and dispositional barriers to enhance personal growth and well-being are less known. METHODS: Fifty-six community dwelling older adults (71.3 ± 4.6 years) took part in dance, music, or a control workshop two times/week for ten weeks. Participants' personal growth was examined through focus groups and surveys in this mixed-methods study. RESULTS: Focus group and survey results revealed participants experienced personal growth through engaging in the dance and music arms of the experiment. Participants, especially those in arts workshops, described personal growth experiences aligning with four themes: increased social connections, developed new skills, utilized a growth mindset, and used creativity to overcome situational and dispositional barriers to participation. The barriers included musculoskeletal challenges, hearing impairments, and difficulty retaining new information. CONCLUSIONS: The study yielded high adherence and retention rates, and participants reported increased engagement within their communities. Our observations provide avenues for future practitioners and facilitators to create programming that empowers older adults and utilizes participants' ongoing feedback to support access, inclusion, and sense of community.