Should a dancer see a physical therapist or a physician for their injury?

Article Title: “The Effect of Physical Therapist Involvement in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Youth and Adolescent Dancers’ Injuries”

Citation for article: Kinney, Susan et al. “The Effect of Physical Therapist Involvement in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Youth and Adolescent Dancers’ Injuries.” J Dance Med Sci. 2018;22(2):81-83.

Purpose of study: To assess the effect of physical therapist involvement in the care of injuries sustained by young dancers on the incidence and amount of time missed from dancing.

Findings: Most injuries were diagnosed by a physician, with a substantial proportion diagnosed by a physical therapist.  One injury was diagnosed by a dance teacher and one was self-diagnosed.  

Dancers whose injuries were diagnosed by a physician were more likely to miss dance than those diagnosed by a physical therapist.  When an injury resulted in missed dance time, the median numbers of days missed was greater when the diagnosis was made by a physician as opposed to a physical therapist, although the authors stated the number of days was not statistically significant  (6 days missed for physician diagnosis vs 2.5 days for a physical therapist). 

These findings are supported by previous research showing a benefit to utilizing a healthcare team that involves physical therapists, especially therapists with expertise in working with dance injuries.  

Takeaways: The findings support physical therapist involvement in the diagnosis and treatment of young dancers’ injuries. Seeing a skilled dance medicine provider may facilitate timely intervention and reduce missed time in dance.  Although the difference in the number of days missed was not STATISTICALLY significant, I’d argue that those 3.5 additional days in class could be extremely beneficial for the dancer and the teacher.  Physical therapists can diagnose an injury and implement a course of treatment in the same day, provide a home exercise or management program and see the patient several times per week, speeding up recovery times.

Additional thoughts and information: The above findings depend on the severity of the injury.  Some injuries may warrant assessment and treatment by a physician, however a physical therapist can provide quick access to a screening that can help guide next steps in care.  New Jersey is a direct access state for physical therapy services.  Patients do not need a prescription from a physician to see a PT, which further increases access to care and speed of recovery.