Development of dance injury preventive and management model for contemporary dancers

Abstract

This research aimed at determining the dance injury preventive and management practices of contemporary dancers in Iloilo City. A preventive and management model served as the outcome of this study. This research used a researcher-made questionnaire checklist had underwent face and content validation by a panel experts in dance and medicine. A pilot testing was made outside of Iloilo City and the result of the Cronbach alpha (r=.944) revealed that the instrument was highly reliable. The respondents of this study were the 86 conveniently selected contemporary dancers in Iloilo City. They were classified according to age, sex, and years of dancing experience. This study was conducted from December 2016 to January 2017. Mean, Rank and, Chi- the Square test was used as statistical tools. Findings revealed that the top common injuries experienced by contemporary dancers when taken as an entire group and classified as to age, sex, and length of dancing experience were muscle strain, sprain or strain, and bruising or cuts. Moreover, respondents preferred paying attention to correct techniques in dance as preventive practices in all injuries. Some common preventive practices were awareness of the body and personal limits, concentrating on correct posture and dance technique, and warming up thoroughly and stretching before dancing. On injury management practices, the respondents preferred maintaining a positive attitude and a more proactive approach to recover from injury and making sure that the injury does Lnot affect their passion towards dance. In addition, they have some commonly used injury management practices which are the following: considering injury as an opportunity to learn something that will help in returning to the dancing career, making sure that the injury does not affect the dance training, and making sure to fully recover from injury before getting back on the dance floor. The Chi-square test result also revealed that there were significant differences in the common injuries experienced by the contemporary dancers when classified according to sex, in terms of shin pain or shin splints; when classified according to age in terms of tight calves/Achilles or craft stretches, and; when classified according to years of dance experience in terms of inflamed and painful tendons, sore heels, and sprains or strains. No significant differences were noted in terms of others dance injuries when the respondents are classified into the above-mentioned categories. From the result, the researcher drew a preventive and management model for contemporary dancers', the P-R-E-V-E-N-T model for contemporary dancers' injury prevention, and the M-A-N-A-G-E model for contemporary dancers' injury management.