Injuries Requiring Surgery in Dancers Performing High-Demand Dances

AIM: Dancers are professional athletes. Dance injuries resemble sports injuries, however, they push the limits of anatomy and physiology for rightful expression of the esthetics. In this study, we examined a group of dancers and injuries which required surgery to understand the associated factors (age, gender, dexterity, dance style) and also the time to return to their full capacity. METHODS: 75 members of the Fire of Anatolia professional dance group (55 ethnic folk, 12 modern ballet, 8 Caucasian folk dancers) (mean age: 26.8±5.2; 17-38 years) performers were evaluated between the dates February 2009 and February 2016. The dancers suffered 14 orthopedic injuries requiring surgery during a six-year period. Nine of surgeries (64.2%) were the result of an acute trauma requiring meniscal repair in three due to meniscus tears, ACL reconstruction in two (one of them had to also undergo primary repair of the posterolateral corner of the knee) due to ACL tear, PCL reconstruction in one due to PCL tear, open medial patellofemoral ligament repair in one due to acute patellar dislocation, percutaneous fixation of the scaphoid in one due to scaphoid fracture and an extensor tendon repair of the hand in one due to extensor tendon cut. Five of the surgeries (35.7%) were due to chronic injuries consisting of deep infrapatellar bursitis treated by open bursectomy in one, arthroscopic fat pad resection due to Hoffa’s fat pad impingement in two, and arthroscopic resection of an symptomatic medial plica in two patients. FINDINGS: Fourteen (12 male, 2 female; mean age: 30±5.45, range: 22 to 38) dancers out of 75 members (18.7%) of this high-demand dance group suffered injuries requiring surgery. Twelve (85.8%) of these injuries were at the knee joint and two (14.2%) were in the hand. There was no statistically significant difference between the mean ages of the dancers with and without injuries (p>0.05). Males suffered an injury 8.64 times more than females according to logistic regression analysis (p=0.003). RESULTS: Male dancers are more susceptible to injuries that require surgery when compared to female dancers. All of the operated patients continue with their careers in dancing and arthroscopic surgery does not pose a threat to the career of the dancer. Level of Evidence: Level of evidence III. Retrospective cohort study