Ex-dancer and UTS research student Annie Jeffries is working with the Sydney Dance Company and the Bangarra Dance Theatre Company to analyse the factors leading to injury in dance. Her research aims to develop an evidenced-based monitoring protocol to reduce the incidence and improve dancers' well being.
Annie’s research involves consistent monitoring of dancers’ physiological parameters, neuromuscular capability, fatigue and psychological factors throughout periods where dancers are at high risk of injury, illness and burnout. Her study follows dancers through both rehearsal and performance periods across various international locations where they incur an increased training load of up to 10 hours per day.
Through the development of improved load monitoring practices, her research will reduce the rate of injury and subsequent financial burden associated with medical expenses, time-loss and substitute remuneration.
The Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) technology and the portable force plates available at UTS allow me to conduct a holistic and ecologically valid analysis of the incidence of injury.
