Artistic and Health Professionals' Perceptions of Training Load Practices in Pre-Professional and Professional Ballet and Contemporary Dance: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of training load practices of dance artistic and health professionals. Artistic staff and health professionals with experience in dance were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey study relating to training load practices in pre-professional and professional, ballet and contemporary dance. The survey was developed from previous investigations in soccer and consisted of multiple-choice, Likert scale, and free-text responses. Responses to closed questions were reported by percentage and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Thematic analysis was performed by two independent assessors of free-text responses. There were six artistic staff and 18 health professional participants. Artistic staff were perceived to be "mostly/completely responsible" for planning training (artistic staff: 100%, 95% CI: 61%, 100%; health professionals: 94%, 95% CI: 76%, 100%), with health professionals "mostly/completely responsible" at times of injury (artistic staff: 83%, 95% CI: 41%, 99%; health professionals: 95% CI: 61%, 96%). Both groups reported using individual modification to manage training loads and recognized the benefits of rest. Artistic staff recognized the need to modify training when injured, in line with experience levels, workload, age, and general health. Both groups "agree/strongly agree" that monitoring would be or is useful (artistic staff: 83%, 95% CI: 41%, 99%; health professionals: 95% CI: 61%, 96%). This investigation provides insight into the perceptions of artistic staff and health professionals with experience in dance toward training practices. Artistic staff and health professionals need to work together and adapt monitoring practices to their context to support artistic staff in planning training. The findings guide the implementation of these interventions by understanding potential barriers to their effectiveness that may potentially reduce injury.