Overview of Thigh Injuries in Dance

Abstract

Thigh injuries include musculotendinous strains of the quadriceps, hamstrings, adductors, iliotibial band (ITB), and bony injuries to the shaft of the femur. There is scant information in the literature regarding thigh injuries in dance, which appear to range from 5% to 16% of total injury incidence. Hamstring strains and ITB syndrome are the most commonly reported thigh injuries. Hamstring injuries occur most frequently during slow stretching when the dancer's hip is flexed and knee extended. Uniquely in dancers, adductor injury occurs concurrently with hamstring injuries in approximately one-third of cases. Snapping of the ITB at the lateral hip and knee may result from imbalance of thigh muscle strength and flexibility. To date no quadriceps strain injuries or stress injuries to the shaft of the femur have been reported in the dance medicine literature. As dancers notoriously underestimate time needed to return to dance, it can be suggested that early return to work is a contributing factor to chronic injury. Further research is needed regarding the incidence and nature of injury to the thigh among dancers.