Injury prevention knowledge and beliefs of Irish dancing teachers: An international survey

Róisín Cahalan

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Injury in Irish dancing (ID) is pervasive and comparable to that in other elite dance genres. There is an absence of formalized education or training for ID teachers to understand and address this issue. This study investigated the injury prevention knowledge and beliefs of registered ID teachers internationally. METHODS: An online survey based on an existing questionnaire by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was adapted to reflect relevant research in ID and other dance genres. It was piloted with seven ID teachers internationally. Participants, who were registered ID teachers were recruited through official ID governing bodies and the networks of the Principal Investigator. RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty participants from eleven regions internationally completed the survey. A robust knowledge of the anatomical areas most often injured was displayed, with conflicting opinions on the incidence, location and causes of injuries in males and females. There was a clear appreciation of the vast array of risk factors potentially associated with injury, with warm-up, load management, physical strength, conditioning and flexibility all highly rated. There was lesser insight into important factors such as sleep, nutrition, and general and psychological health. Most teachers rated their injury prevention knowledge and practices as moderate/good but available educational resources as poor/fair. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need for education and training in numerous areas of injury prevention by multidisciplinary healthcare practitioners and other professionals, in partnership with the ID community, to ensure a clearer understanding of the biopsychosocial nature of injury prevention and performance optimisation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)43-50
Number of pages8
JournalPhysiotherapy Practice and Research
Volume42
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Irish dancing
  • beliefs
  • health and performance
  • injury prevention
  • knowledge

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Injury prevention knowledge and beliefs of Irish dancing teachers: An international survey'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this