Incidence, Mechanisms, and Characteristics of Injuries in Pole Dancers: A Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Pole dancing is a challenging physical activity. Prospective injury studies in pole dancing are lacking. The aim of this study was to describe the incidence, mechanisms, and characteristics of injuries in pole dancers. METHODS: A total of 66 pole dancers from 41 studios across Australia were prospectively followed over 12 months. An intake questionnaire was administered including items on pole dancers’ demographics and training characteristics. Exposure was assessed using a daily online training diary. Self-reported injury data were collected via an incident report form and subsequently coded using the Orchard Sports Injury Classification System. Injuries occurring during pole-specific and pole-related activities were included in the analyses. RESULTS: The sample included 63 females and 3 males, mean age 32.3 ± 8.9 years and mean pole training experience 3.5 ± 2.8 years. 25 of 66 participants completed the full study. The 1-year incidence of all new injuries was 8.95/1,000 exposure hours (95% CI 6.94 – 10.96), 7.65/1,000 hrs (95% CI 5.79 – 9.51) for pole-specific injuries and 1.29/1,000 hrs (95% CI 0.53 – 2.06) for pole-related injuries. A total of 103 injuries occurred, 62.1% of which were sudden onset and 37.9% gradual onset. Mechanism of onset included 54.4% acute and 45.6% repetitive in nature. Shoulder (20.4%) and thigh (11.7%, majority ham¬string) were the most reported anatomic injury sites. Non-contact mechanisms accounted for the majority of injuries (57.3%). The most reported primary contributor to injury onset at the shoulder were manoeuvres characterised by loaded internal humeral rotation (33.3%), and at the hamstring were manoeuvres and postures involving front splits (100.0%). CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that pole dancers are at high risk for injuries. Future research is needed to understand the biomechani¬cal demand of manoeuvres and training characteristics of pole dancing (e.g., workload and recovery) to guide the development of preventative interventions, particularly targeted toward the shoulder and hamstring.

Untangling risk factors including discipline-specific exposure for injuries in preprofessional and professional circus artists in the USA

“…In a professional training programme, injuries from Chinese pole were most prevalent among aerial disciplines but less frequent than ground acrobatics 4. Injury rates for recreational pole dance were higher (7.65/1000 hours training)20 than in circus arts (0.3–3.3/1000 hours) 3 5 7. Although study methods and population differences limit comparison between studies, aerial with ground elements may have an elevated injury risk.…”

Calisthenics: Epidemiology of Injury Patterns and Their Risk Factors

“…A finding which was confirmed in a recent prospective cohort study looking at injuries in the aesthetic-based sport of pole dancing. 16 This movement pictured in Figure 1 is common within calisthenics in multiple forms and involves great flexibility of the hamstring and hip flexor muscle groups. It is possible, that overuse and preparation (identified as contributing factors for injury), in the form of excessive repetitions and poor warm-up respectively, of this highly predominant movement could be contributing to injury rate and severity, of the upper leg and knee regions.…”

Circus-specific extension of the International Olympic Committee 2020 consensus statement: methods for recording and reporting of epidemiological data on injury and illness in sport

“…We also recommend recording the circus arts skill (which we define as a specific movement, manoeuvre, or component of the movement or manoeuvre), the discipline involved at the time of injury, and relevant training patterns or factors that appear related to the injury (eg, participation in a workshop or drilling a new skill repeatedly) 5 6 34 35. Injuries are often multifactorial,36 particularly gradual-onset injuries.…”