| Injuries and eating disorders (EDs) are two of the most common health-related issues among ballet and contemporary dancers. Limited literature exists on injuries and EDs to pre-professional dancers, and prior literature has been constrained by methodological shortcomings. This dissertation examined injury incidence, injury predictors, possible disordered eating (PDE) prevalence, and PDE predictors in an adolescent/young dance population. Injury incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and PDE prevalence ratios (PRs) were estimated using negative binomial generalized estimating equations and log binomial regression, respectively. Among 480 dancers, 1,014 injuries were sustained. Most injuries were to the lower extremity and were overuse injuries. There were differences in upper extremity, lower extremity, and traumatic injury rates by demographic subgroups. Among females, the best predictive model for injury rates included history of depression (IRR: 1.76; 95%CI: 1.29, 2.39), age (16 to 17 IRR: 0.91; 95%CI: 0.73, 1.14 /18 to 19 IRR: 0.81; 95%CI: 0.62, 1.07 /21 or older IRR: 0.62; 95%CI: 0.40, 0.96 reference= 15 or younger), number prior injuries (1 injury IRR: 1.11; 95%CI: 0.88, 1.42 /2 injuries IRR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.72, 1.32 /3 or more injuries IRR: 0.77; 95%CI: 0.91, 1.17 reference= 0 injuries). Among males, the best predictive univariate model was better than any multivariable model. Overall PDE prevalence was 19% (23% and 6% among females and males, respectively). The best predictive model for PDE among females included body mass index (BMI 18.5-<20- PR: 0.42; 95%CI: 0.20, 0.85 /BMI ?20- PR: 0.6; 95%CI: 0.36, 1.00; reference= <18.5) and a history of irregular menstrual periods (HIMP, PR: 1.58; 95%CI: 0.96, 2.61). Strategies for traumatic injury prevention among dancers should be both gender- and style-specific. No differences were observed in overuse injury rates by gender and style, suggesting that generic overuse prevention strategies may not need to be targeted by gender and style. HIMP and lower BMI were in the best predictive model for PDE among females. No predictors were identified among males. Strategies can be implemented to reduce and mitigate the consequences of these injuries, if not the injuries themselves. Future studies could identify other predictors of PDE among both female and male dancers. |
