Between-Day Reliability of Pre-Participation Screening Components in Pre-Professional Ballet and Contemporary Dancers

J Dance Med Sci. 2018 Mar 15;22(1):54-62. doi: 10.12678/1089-313X.22.1.54.

Abstract

Critical appraisal of research investigating risk factors for musculoskeletal injury in dancers suggests high quality reliability studies are lacking. The purpose of this study was to determine between-day reliability of pre-participation screening (PPS) components in pre-professional ballet and contemporary dancers. Thirty-eight dancers (35 female, 3 male; median age; 18 years; range: 11 to 30 years) participated. Screening components (Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28, body mass index, percent total body fat, total bone mineral density, Foot Posture Index-6, hip and ankle range of motion, three lumbopelvic control tasks, unipedal dynamic balance, and the Y-Balance Test) were conducted one week apart. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs: 95% confidence intervals), standard error of measurement, minimal detectable change (MDC), Bland-Altman methods of agreement [95% limits of agreement (LOA)], Cohen's kappa coefficients, standard error, and percent agreements were calculated. Depending on the screening component, ICC estimates ranged from 0.51 to 0.98, kappa coefficients varied between -0.09 and 0.47, and percent agreement spanned 71% to 95%. Wide 95% LOA were demonstrated by Foot Posture Index-6 (right: -6.06, 7.31), passive hip external rotation (right: -9.89, 16.54), and passive supine turnout (left: -15.36, 17.58). The PPS components examined demonstrated moderate to excellent relative reliability with mean between-day differences less than MDC, or sufficient percent agreement, across all assessments. However, due to wide 95% limits of agreement, the Foot Posture Index-6 and passive hip range of motion are not recommended for screening injury risk in pre-professional dancers.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Adipose Tissue
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Ankle Joint / physiology
  • Athletic Performance / physiology
  • Athletic Performance / psychology
  • Body Mass Index
  • Bone Density
  • Child
  • Dancing / injuries*
  • Female
  • Foot / physiology
  • Hip Joint / physiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Physical Therapy Modalities*
  • Range of Motion, Articular
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • Young Adult