Background: Previous research in Irish
dancing (ID) has recorded high levels of pain/injury. Screening protocols in
other genres have been developed to identify at-risk dancers.
Aim: To examine the factors which relate to absence
from dancing due to musculoskeletal pain/injury in ID. To inform guidelines for
the development of an evidence-based screening protocol.
Methods: Baseline
subjective data (n=85) and physical data (n=84) were gathered. Subjects
completed a monthly online questionnaire for one year providing data on general
physical and psychological health and rates of pain/injury. Subjects were
allocated to a “More Time Absent (MTA)” or “Less Time Absent (LTA)” category
depending on their duration of absence from performance over the year.
Results: Eighty-four
subjects completed the year-long follow up (MTA: n= 32, LTA: n=52). 278
complaints of pain/injury were recorded. Factors significantly associated with
membership of the MTA group included greater anger-hostility (p=0.003), more
subjective health complaints (p=0.026), more severe previous pain/injury
(p=0.017), more general everyday pain (p=0.020), more body parts affected by
pain/injury (p=0.028), always/often dancing in pain (p=0.028) and insufficient
sleep (p=0.043).
Conclusions: Several biopsychosocial
factors appear to be associated with absence from ID due to pain/injury. Biopsychosocial
screening protocols and prevention strategies may best identify at-risk
dancers.