Salsa dancers ‘less likely to get injured than Zumba dancers’

Salsa dancers are less likely to get injured while dancing than people taking part in Spanish, aerobic or Zumba dancing, according to new research.

But they suffer a similar rate of injuries as ballroom dancers, the researchers at Coventry University found.

The research also suggested that women were twice as likely to be injured while salsa dancing than men.

It’s the first study to look at the injury rates of amateur salsa dancers, and compare its finding to similar research into other popular genres of dance.

The research team found that people were more likely to be injured while salsa dancing if they were women, older, and had a higher body mass index (BMI).

Those with more salsa dance experience, according to the research, were less likely to be injured while salsa dancing.

The study involved 450 amateur salsa dancers aged between 18 and 64 filling in a survey.It included questions about their salsa experience, how many salsa sessions they took part in a week, other physical activity they engaged in, their warm-up routine, as well asking for details about their injury history.

None of the dancers were professional, but all had more than a year of salsa dancing experience.

Other findings included:

• The injury risk increased by 3% for every one year increase in age.
• There was a 7% increase in injury risk for every 1 kg/m2 increase in BMI.
• The odds of injury reduced by 7% for every year of salsa dance experience gained.

Salsa was found to have an injury rate of 1.1 injuries for women and 0.5 injuries for men per 1,000 hours of dancing.

Ballroom had a similar injury rate of 1.5 injuries for women and 0.5 injuries for men per 1,000 hours of dancing.

The salsa injury rate was lower than similar genres of dance, including Spanish (which had an injury rate of 1.5 injuries per 1,000 hours); aerobic (which had an injury rate of 2.9 injuries per 1,000 hours) and Zumba (which had an injury rate of 3.9 injuries per 1,000 hours).

The research has been published in the journal of Physical Activity and Health.

He also had some advice for salsa dancers to help them avoid injury.

Earlier this year, a team of researchers including Dr Domene carried out a study that suggested salsa dancing can boost brain function.

The results of that research were revealed on the BBC One show The Truth About Getting Fit, presented by Dr Michael Mosley.

For further press information, please contact the press team at Coventry University, on 02477657788 or email press.mea@coventry.ac.uk.