IADMS Miami 2000   [back to the Category]

The Effect of Nutritional Status on Dance Injuries   [read the french version]

Author :   Yiannis Koutedakis, Ph.D., et al.

Authors: Yiannis Koutedakis, Ph.D., Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Thessaly University, Trikala, Greece, and School of Health Sciences Wolverhampton University. Y. Dimas, Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Thessaly University, Trikala, Greece; F. Balmonti, Farkadona Secondary School, Trikala, Greece

Twenty five male (aged 27.1 ± 4.7 years) and 21 female (aged 26.8 ± 5.6 years) professional dancers volunteered for this study which was approved by the University Ethical Committee. The subjects presented individual four-day diet diaries and a self-administered questionnaire on their injuries. These diaries were then assessed for vitamins, minerals, protein, fat, and carbohydrate intake as well as total energy intake, by using the FOODBASE package. The main findings were that reduced intakes of vitamin E (p < 0.01), selenium (p < 0.005), and magnesium (p < 0.001) were associated with incidences of musculoskeletal and joint injuries in male dancers. Similarly, reduced intakes of vitamin C ( p < 0.01 ) and E (p < 0.005), selenium (p < 0.05), magnesium (p < 0.01) and calcium (p < 0.01) were correlated with musculoskeletal and joint injury rates in female dancers. Dancers also demonstrated lower daily energy intakes, lower intakes of vitamin C and E, thiamine, zinc, selenium, calcium, and magnesium than recommended levels. However, male dancers consumed more fats than the recommended levels and than their female counterparts (p < 0.005). The data presented fit with the hypothesis that nutritional status may account for part of the observed injuries in professional dancers.

This is the abstract of a paper presented at the Tenth Annual Meeting of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science, held 27-29 October 2000 in Miami, Florida, USA. All rights are reserved by the individual author(s).