6: Ballet to physiotherapy with Archie James

SciDance

Archie James discusses his journey through ballet training to physiotherapy, reflecting on new knowledge and learned experience. Archie chats about what he wishes he knew as a ballet dancer, what he would have done differently, and changes that may encourage this in a pre professional environment such as in sports psychology. We look at potential routes into physiotherapy for dancers, and the application process, as well as the merits of a background in dance. Importantly, we focus on the personal development involved in stepping away from ballet, in critical thinking, research, evaluating information, autonomy, and mindset, ultimately advocating for more science integration into ballet training for empowerment.

Resources -

Mattiussi, A. M., Shaw, J. W., Williams, S., Price, P. D., Brown, D. D., Cohen, D. D., Clark, R., Kelly, S., Retter, G., Pedlar, C., & Tallent, J. (2021). Injury epidemiology in professional ballet: a five-season prospective study of 1596 medical attention injuries and 543 time-loss injuries. British journal of sports medicine, 55(15), 843–850. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-103817

Markovic G. (2007). Does plyometric training improve vertical jump height? A meta-analytical review. British journal of sports medicine, 41(6), 349–355. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2007.035113

van Dyk, N., Behan, F. P., & Whiteley, R. (2019). Including the Nordic hamstring exercise in injury prevention programmes halves the rate of hamstring injuries: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 8459 athletes. British journal of sports medicine, 53(21), 1362–1370.

Impellizzeri, F. M., McCall, A., & van Smeden, M. (2021). Why methods matter in a meta-analysis: a reappraisal showed inconclusive injury preventive effect of Nordic hamstring exercise. Journal of clinical epidemiology, 140, 111–124. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2021.09.007

Lasse Ishøi, Kristian Thorborg, Why clinical context and relevant protocols matter: response to Impellizzeri et al, Journal of Clinical Epidemiology (2021), doi: j.jclinepi.2021.10.021

Franco M. Impellizzeri, Alan McCall, Maarten van Smeden. Why clinical context and relevant protocols matter: author’s reply, Journal of Clinical Epidemiology (2020), doi: j.jclinepi.2021.10.020

Find Archie here -

Email: [e-mail]

Instagram: @archie_james_physio

Instagram: @scidancepodcast

Contact: [e-mail]

Cover art by Jill North. Original image by Young Images Photography. Intro sound by William Cook.