Women’s Foot Health–Related Quality of Life in Ballet Dancers and Nondancers

Abstract

Background: Prevalence and severity of symptoms related to muscle and joint pain seem to be high in most dancers.

Hypothesis: There will be a worse quality of life related to foot health for ballet dancers compared with nondancers.

Study Design: Case-control study.

Level of Evidence: Level 4.

Methods: A sample of 156 women was recruited from a clinic of podiatric medicine and surgery. Self-reported data were measured by the Foot Health Status Questionnaire (FHSQ), which has 33 questions that assess 8 health domains of the feet and general health, namely, foot pain, foot function, general foot health, footwear, general health, physical activity, social capacity, and vigor.

Results: Statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) were shown for foot pain, foot function, foot health, and general health, which together revealed a worse foot health–related quality of life (lower FHSQ scores) but a better general health (higher FHSQ scores) for ballet dancers compared with nondancers. The remaining domains did not show statistically significant differences (P > 0.05). According to multivariate linear regression models (P < 0.05), the practice of ballet dance (group) was the only independent variable that predicted the dependent variables, such as foot pain (R2 = 0.052;β = +8.349), foot function (R2 = 0.108; β = +11.699), foot health (R2 = 0.039; β = +10.769), and general health (R2 = 0.019; β = −6.795).

Conclusion: Ballet dancers showed a negative impact on quality of life related to foot health but better overall quality of life (general health) compared with nondancers.

Clinical Relevance: Paying attention to a dancer’s foot health could provide important benefits for the dancer’s foot health and physical practice of dance.