A comprehensive website for dance screening, injury tracking, and risk factors data collection and analysis

Galbraith, Gary MFA, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States 

Purpose

Internet technologies can have an important role in the development of resources vital to Dance Medicine and Science.  The goal of this presentation is to outline and demonstrate features of a comprehensive website that supports data collection and analysis of dance screening, injury tracking, and extrinsic risk factor data.

Outcome

There have been many calls for the development of standards pertaining to dancer health, e.g. dance screening, injury tracking, extrinsic risk factors, and psychological screening.  At the 2002 IADMS conference, a simple computer program designed to analyze dance screening data was presented.  Since then the program has been significantly expanded into a comprehensive website that serves dancers, teachers and medical professionals at schools and professional companies world wide.  The site supports multiple screening initiatives, the development of personalized profiles with cross training protocols, online journaling, group reporting, de-identified data export for research purposes, data collection from screens such as EAT26 and other psychological screens, and an automated system to collect extrinsic risk factors data.  The updated injury tracking module will augment direct linkages between the various data modules.  The extensively cross linked system also includes a comprehensive library of anatomical imagery and videos of screening and cross-training protocols.  

Though initially developed as a teaching tool, the website now provides the technological infrastructure for multi-institutional collaborations and the extensive database serves as a valuable resource for various researchers.  Robust data protection mechanisms have been developed including the utilization of industry standard data encryption, multilevel administrative accounts, and redundant backup systems.

Relevance

Through the growing utilization of this website, discipline wide standards can be investigated, multiple researchers can more easily collaborate, and importantly, dancers can directly benefit from online personalized profiles, resources, and research.