Overuse ankle injuries in professional Irish dancers

Walls, R.J.; Brennan, S.A.; Hodnett, P.; O’Byrne, J.M.; Eustace, S.J.; Stephens, M.M.

doi:10.1016/j.fas.2009.05.003

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Volume 16, Issue 1 , Pages 45-49, March 2010

Overuse ankle injuries in professional Irish dancers

R.J. Walls, MB, MRCSI, MFSEM
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital, Finglas, Dublin, Ireland
- Corresponding author at: Professorial Unit, Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dublin 11, Ireland. Tel.: +353 87 2963651; fax: +353 1 4419405.
S.A. Brennan, MB, MRCSI
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital, Finglas, Dublin, Ireland
P. Hodnett, MB, MRCPI, FFR
- Department of Radiology, Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital, Finglas, Dublin, Ireland
J.M. O’Byrne, MCh, FRCSI, FRCS (Tr. & Ortho.), FFSEM
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital, Finglas, Dublin, Ireland
S.J. Eustace, MB, MRCPI, FFR, FRCR, FFSEM
- Department of Radiology, Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital, Finglas, Dublin, Ireland
M.M. Stephens, MSc (Bioeng), FRCSI
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital, Finglas, Dublin, Ireland

Received 15 December 2008; received in revised form 29 April 2009; accepted 3 May 2009. published online 29 June 2009.

Abstract

Background

Overuse ankle injuries have been described in elite athletes and professional ballet dancers however the spectrum of injuries experienced by professional Irish dancers has not been defined.

Methods

A troupe of actively performing dancers from an Irish-dance show were recruited (eight male, ten female; mean age, 26 years). The prevalence of overuse injuries in the right ankle was determined from magnetic resonance imaging. Foot and ankle self-report questionnaires were also completed (AOFAS and FAOS).

Results

Only three ankles were considered radiologically normal. Achilles tendinopathy, usually insertional, was the most frequent observation (n=14) followed by plantar fasciitis (n=7), bone oedema (n=2) and calcaneocuboid joint degeneration (n=2). There were limited correlations between MRI patterns and clinical scores indicating that many conditions are sub-clinical. Dancers with ankle pain had poor low (p=0.004) and high (p=0.013) level function.

Conclusions

Overuse ankle injuries are common in Irish dancers. Incorporating eccentric exercises and plantar fascia stretching into a regular training program may benefit this population.

Keywords: Overuse injury, Ankle, Irish dancers, Magnetic resonance imaging