ORIGINAL ARTICLE  SPORT INJURIES AND REHABILITATION 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2022 May;62(5):661-6

DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.21.12239-X

Copyright © 2021 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Types of the locomotor system injuries and frequency of occurrence in women pole dancers

Agnieszka M. GOŁUCHOWSKA ¹ ✉, Marta I. HUMKA ²

¹ Department of Sports Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland; ² Military-Medical Faculty, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland

BACKGROUND: Pole dance (PD) is combination of various disciplines elements, including acrobatics, sport gymnastic and dance. Developing this skill is associated with an increased risk of the locomotor system injuries, which are inherent in amateur and professional PD trainings. The aim of the study was examination which kind of the locomotor system injury was generally appeared among pole dancers and in which part of the body it generally occurred.
METHODS: The study included 213 women (aged 25,74±5,7 years) training PD. Types and frequency of the locomotor system injuries were assessed using an original questionnaire via social media platforms.
RESULTS: Among participants, 58% reported the locomotor system injury during training, most often in its main part (88%). Joint overload and muscle tear were the most common types of injuries in both groups (P>0.05 and P=0.0094, respectively). Shoulder joint was the main location of injuries in amateur and professional dancers (44% vs. 50%). Often injuries also concerned: forearm (22%, P=0.0305), biceps femoris muscle and ankle joint (19% each) in amateurs and biceps femoris muscle (34%), wrist joint and spine (22% each) in proffessionals. Injuries were renewed more often in professionals than in amateurs (55% vs. 68%, P=0.0251) and concerned mainly shoulder joint in both groups (39% vs. 41%, P=0.0036).
CONCLUSIONS: More than half of all participants declared at least one injury during PD training. Joint overload was the most common injury among all pole dancers. Shoulder joint was the most injuried both in amateur and professional pole dancers. More than half of all women experienced recurrent injuries, most often of shoulder joint.

KEY WORDS: Dancing; Musculoskeletal system; Wounds and injuries