Abstract
Professional dancers suffer a high incidence of injuries, especially to the spine
and lower extremities. There is a lack of experimental research addressing low back
pain (LBP) in dancers. The aim of this study is to compare lumbopelvic motor control,
muscle extensibility and sacroiliac joint pain between dancers with and without a
history of LBP. 40 pre-professional dancers (mean age of 20.3 years) underwent a clinical
test battery, consisting of an evaluation of lumbopelvic motor control, muscle extensibility,
generalized joint hypermobility, and sacroiliac joint pain provocation tests. Also
self-reported measurements and standardized questionnaires were used. 41% of the dancers
suffered from LBP during at least 2 consecutive days in the previous year. Only one
dancer suffered from sacroiliac joint pain. Compared to dancers without a history
of LBP, dancers with a history of LBP showed poorer lumbopelvic motor control (p<0.05).
No differences in muscle extensibility or joint hypermobility were observed between
dancers (p>0.05). Despite their young age, pre-professional dancers suffer from LBP
frequently. Sacroiliac joint pain, generalized joint hypermobility or muscle extensibility
appears unrelated to LBP in dancers. Motor control is decreased in those with a history
of LBP. Further research should examine whether motor control is etiologically involved
in LBP in dancers.
Key words
dance - injury - low back pain - health - sacroiliac pain - joint pain - hypermobility
