Document Type

Report

College

College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Department

Occupational Therapy

Degree

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Report Date

5-2026

Faculty Mentor

Murray, Erin

Doctoral Experiential Coordinator

Latour, Debra

Abstract

Dancers are high-performance athletes who face significant musculoskeletal injuries, overuse injuries, and chronic pain, yet injury prevention resources tailored to the dance population remain limited. Dancing Beyond Pain: An Occupational Therapy-Based Injury Prevention Program for Dancers is a multi-component injury prevention program developed and implemented within a professional dance setting in collaboration with a professional athletic training company. The program was designed around four core components: a consistent warm-up routine tailored to the dancers, a cool-down routine to support efficient and sustainable recovery, a series of brief education workshops, and pre-and post-program screenings and pain assessments. To assess movement quality and track outcomes, an original functional movement screening tool called the Dance Movement and Performance Screen (DMPS), was developed specifically for the dance population. The Doctoral Experiential Project (DEx) examined the feasibility and effectiveness of an occupational therapy (OT)-driven, multi-component injury prevention model in a professional dance setting. Findings demonstrated increased dancer health literacy and awareness of injury risk and prevention strategies, as well as strong program feasibility reflected in high participation rates and positive dancer engagement throughout the program. Results support the expanded role of occupational therapy in dance medicine and performing arts health offering a replicable, evidence-informed model for occupational therapists serving professional and pre-professional dancers. Recommendations for future implementation and sustainability are discussed.

Download

Available for download on Sunday, July 30, 2028

Share

COinS