Injury is a major part of a dancer’s training and career, affecting 90% of dancers (Pollitt et. al. 2021, 75). It could end a dancer’s career in an instant and therefore taking steps to reduce the risk of injury is key. There is substantial information on injury, injury rehabilitation and injury prevention in a broad sense, but there is not enough research into preventing dance specific injuries in undergraduate and training level dancers. Injuries relating to elevation work are even less researched, creating a gap in the information available to students on how to look after their bodies. In response to this, this research study aims to identify how supplementary training can be used to reduce the risk of injuries to the lower body caused by jumping.
Working with previous literature from dance science, sport and exercise and medicine, this study utilises research that has already been done to bridge the gaps that have been identified. A systematic review of the most common dance injuries identifies what the main issues are for undergraduate dancers and the causations of these in relation to elevation work. This data is then analysed to identify the areas of dance fitness that need to be developed to reduce the incidence of these injuries. To answer the research question, the analysis of the efficacy of supplementary training methods in relation to undergraduate dancers reveals how injury risk can be reduced.
Most research about injury in dance science focuses on injury rehabilitation and the frequency of types of injuries. (Deleget, 2010 and Mendes-Cunha, et. al., 2023) This leaves a gap where the causations of injuries are lesser researched due to the subjective nature of injury reporting. Similarly, research into supplementary training is predominantly around performance enhancement rather than injury prevention (Angioi, et. al., 2012). Whilst the two areas are related, there is a lack of data on exactly how to reduce the risk of injury through supplementary training. Therefore, this research aims to bridge these gaps.
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