PHYSICAL EDUCATION Quarter 1 – Module 2 Dance and its Benefits

WHAT IS DANCE? than what it is accustomed to. The onset of pain and other symptoms occur
immediately after the impact. Chronic injuries occur due to repetitive trauma
Dance is an art of rhythmic bodily movements that projects an ordered and the body is not given enough time to recover. The onset of the pain and
sequence of moving visual patterns of line, solid shape, and color (Thomas other symptoms occur at a gradual rate, which is usually worsened with
Munro in Kraus and Gaufman, 1981). activity or training.

Dance can be seen among all the people and civilizations of the world. Dances WHAT ARE SOME STRATEGIES THAT COULD REDUCE INJURY RISK?
thrived at the different periods of history and most were a result of
intercultural exchange and contact (Alejandro and Santos-Gana, 2002). Dance The cause of injury is an interplay of the factors that make an individual
has been a major form of religious ritual and social expression within primitive susceptible to injury and biomechanical stress experienced by the
cultures. It was used as a way of expressing and reinforcing tribal unity and musculoskeletal structure.
strength, as an approach for courtship and mating, and as a means of
worship, communication, and therapeutic experience. While there are no strategies that would prevent someone from getting
injured; an injury is significantly reduced when the factors associated with it
BENEFITS OF DANCE are addressed.

When done regularly, dancing is a good way to develop cardiovascular and 1. Programmed exercise and training
muscular endurance, body composition (Malvar, 2006) as well as balance and
flexibility (Fine, 1891; Keller, 2007; Childs, 2007). Dance training also It has been reported that dancers are not as physically fit as other types of
improves coordination and also gives other psychological health benefits as athletes. Moreover, several studies reported that poor cardiovascular
compared to other forms of endurance increase the risk of dance-related injuries (Angioi et al., 2009),
Most injuries occur as fatigue sets in. A dance training session is commonly
exercise. Dance provides a unique opportunity for meaningful group divided into a warm-up, technique training, choreography, and cool-down. The
involvement as it encourages intense, positive social interaction and bulk of the training session is devoted to technique training and learning
interpersonal relationships in a working group and gives a sense of choreography. Refining the dance technique and learning choreography does
togetherness in a group. Dance promotes a place or country’s rich culture not trigger cardiovascular changes in the same manner as endurance training.
through showcasing the different cultural dances. It is through looking at the Aerobic exercise and resistance exercises must be included in the overall
different dances of other countries will one see the value of one’s culture. training program.

FACTORS THAT INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY AMONG DANCERS 2. Adequate recovery

According to the Meeuwisse model (1994), some intrinsic factors predispose Recovery is an important phase of training. It is the period wherein the body
an individual to injury and another set of extrinsic factors increases the repairs and rebuilds itself. Many dancers take several classes a day and spend
susceptibility of an individual. However, these risk factors require an event more thanthree hours a day in training and rehearsals. This regimen depletes
that will lead to an injury. energy sources and the nutrients that are important to normal body function.
Without proper recovery, the body will be weak and fatigue easily, which
Several factors have been found associated with these injuries such: predisposes the dancer to injury. There are two key factors to effective
recovery; nutrition and rest. Proper eating habits and adequate sleep aid in
1. Poor body alignment and technique. The anatomical alignment and replenishing nutrients and repairing the tissues.
technique of the dancer are some of the intrinsic factors that are commonly
associated with an injury. Dance requires moving the limbs in a controlled and 3. Appropriate environment
precise manner. These movements are anchored at the trunk, which means
that the trunk should be stable, and the spine is aligned properly. Poor spinal A suspended floor is a floor designed to absorb the impact when dancing or
alignment and low trunk stability can lead to uncoordinated movements, which jumping. It can accommodate the force because it has a dense foam block
predispose an individual to injury. Some dance styles such as break dancing between the wood and the concrete. This reduces the force absorbed by the
require perfect execution of technique to ensure safety of the individual. musculoskeletal structures and minimizes the risk of injury. The floor should
be properly maintained and not slippery. Dancers prefer a training facility or
2. Excessive training duration and intensity. Excessive training and limited performance center that is a bit warm because it helps them in their warm-up
recovery impair the ability to heal and repair damaged tissues. Intense and prepares them psychologically.
technique training will most likely lead to microscopic injury to the
musculoskeletal structures due to repetitive loading. Without proper rest and 4. Proper footwear
sufficient nutrition, the body is not able to rebuild the tissues and this
predisposes the dancer to severe injury. An abrupt increase in training Shoes protect the lower extremities from injury by reducing the impact when
intensity will also lead to this scenario. dancing. Shoes can correct overpronation of the foot, which has been linked
to plantar fasciitis and fat pad contusions. A properly fitted shoe insert can
3. Hard dance floor. The floor is where dancers rehearse and perform. An also prevent excessive foot movement and reduces the risk of twisting the
optimal dance floor should be able to absorb the impact that is generated by foot. An orthotic shoe insert can also prevent excessive foot movement and
the performer. A hard floor does not help in dissipating the impact and returns correct overpronation.
the force to the dancer. The repetitive shock absorbed by foot would
eventually damage the foot or other parts of the lower extremity. 5. Proper warm-up and technique

4. Poor shoe design. Footwear can correct foot mechanics and reduce the Dance movements require a great degree of flexibility. A proper warm-up
impact on the foot. A shoe that does not fit properly or has insufficient shock helps improve flexibility before dance training or performance. Beginners need
absorption will significantly contribute to injury risk. Furthermore, some to learn the proper technique to minimize the risk of straining the muscles.
materials used on the soles do not offer sufficient traction on the floor and this Surveys among dancers show that technique training from teachers who were
could lead to slips and falls. aware of the anatomical limitations helped reduce the risk of injury.

5. Muscle imbalance. Muscle imbalance is an uncoordinated muscle action 6. Cross-training

because of uneven strength between muscle groups. This is attributed to
various factors such as anatomy, technique, and past injury. For example, the Many dancers feel stressed because they are pressured to be perfect. The
thigh muscles pull up the patella or kneecap every time it contracts. In many inability to manage stress leads to fatigue and burnout which is associated
individuals, the muscles on the outer thigh are much stronger than the with an injury. Cross-training is a type of physical training that is different
muscles on the inner thigh. This causes the patella to move slightly outwards from what is usually performed. It helps maintain physical fitness but it
instead of going up straight. Over time, the repetitive abnormal motion of the minimizes the mental stress that is associated with dancing.
patella irritates the knee joint, which leads to pain and inflammation (Sommer,
1988). 7. Early recognition

WHAT ARE THE COMMON TYPES OF DANCE-RELATED INJURIES? Pain is a good indicator that there is damage to the tissue. However, dancers
and athletes tend to have a higher tolerance for pain. Moreover, they
An injury is a damage to your body. Injuries can happen at work or play, associate pain with improvement and part of the training. It is only when the
indoors or outdoors, driving a car, or walking across the street. There are two pain becomes intolerable that they would consider consulting a physician. At
types of musculoskeletal injuries: acute and chronic. Acute injuries occur when this point, the condition has worsened, and the only remedy is complete rest
the mechanical force that is absorbed by the musculoskeletal structure is more and medication. This can be avoided if the dancer recognizes the pain early
and seeks medical advice.
NAME :_____________________________

YEAR&SECTION :_____________________________

PHYSICAL EDUCATION QUIZ 01

TASK 1

DIRECTIONS: Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if it is incorrect. Write your answers in your
activity notebook.

_________1. Dancing can improve coordination, balance, flexibility, and body composition.

_________2. A shoe that does not fit properly has insufficient shock absorption and will significantly
contribute to injury risk.

_________3. There are two types of musculoskeletal injuries -acute and overuse.

_________4. Pain is a good indicator that there is damage to the tissue.

_________5. The inability to manage stress leads to fatigue and burnout which is associated with an
injury. _________6. Dancers are known to be flexible thus they don’t need to perform a warm-up before
their dance training or performance.

_________7. Dance comes in different forms. All dance styles are not alike and they are distinctive.

_________8. Dancing can help in releasing emotions and improves body image.

_________9. Dancing is a great way to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

_________10. Dance provides a unique opportunity for meaningful group involvement as it encourages
intense, positive social interaction and interpersonal relationships in the working group.

TASK 2

PROCESSING QUESTIONS

Directions: Read and answer the questions. Write your answers on your paper.

 What is dance?

 Do you think dancers are at a higher risk of injuries as compared to other athletes? Why?

 Do you think dance can help you in enhancing your fitness? How?