An Exploration of Low Back Beliefs of Male Pre-Professional and Professional Dancers.

Campbell, Isaac; Fary, Robyn; Hopper, Luke; Hendry, Danica

Background: Globally, male dancers are affected by low back pain (LBP) up to 2.5 times more than female dancers. While female dancers' beliefs around LBP and dance-specific low back movements exist, no research has explored male dancers' beliefs. This study aimed to (1) examine the low back beliefs of Australian male professional and pre-professional dancers, and (2) determine if beliefs toward common low back movements and lifting differed when current LBP or history of disabling LBP (DLBP) were considered. Methods: 40 male dancers (mean age [SD] 26.9 years [7.9]) from a range of dance backgrounds (all participating in ballet) were recruited to complete a cross-sectional survey comprising a beliefs questionnaire considering dance-specific movement and lifting tasks, the Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire (Back-PAQ) and the Athletic Fear Avoidance Questionnaire (AFAQ). Primary analysis included initial descriptives, a repeated measures ANOVA for movement-specific beliefs and visual thematic analysis for written responses within the belief's questionnaire. Secondary subgroup analysis included independent T -tests for those with/without current LBP and those with/without a history of DLBP. Results: Fourteen dancers reported current LBP and 30 reported a history of DLBP. Dancers held generally negative beliefs toward the low back (Back-PAQ mean 123.1 ± 9.7) with neither subgroup demonstrating significant between-group difference (P <.05). Dance-specific flexion movements were seen as safer than extension movements (P <.05), and more extended-spine lifting was seen as safer than more flexed-spine lifting (P <.05). Dancers experiencing current LBP held less positive beliefs surrounding some dance-specific movements. Conclusions: Dancers hold negative general beliefs toward the low back irrespective of current or historical DLBP, however their beliefs surrounding dance-specific movements were relatively positive. Dancers' beliefs surrounding some movements were affected by the presence of current LBP, in particular an arabesque and a fish dive.

AUSTRALIA; CROSS-sectional method; HEALTH attitudes; TASK performance; T-test (Statistics); QUESTIONNAIRES; PSYCHOLOGY of men; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; SURVEYS; THEMATIC analysis; DANCE; LIFTING & carrying (Human mechanics); ANALYSIS of variance; BODY movement; LUMBAR pain; PSYCHOSOCIAL factors; ENTERTAINERS; RANGE of motion of joints

Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, 2024, Vol 28, Issue 3, p152

1089-313X

Academic Journal

10.1177/1089313X241237846