Interdisciplinary Experiences in Dance and Physical Therapy Students: A Mixed-Methods Study

 The purpose of this interdisciplinary educational experience was to explore dynamic interaction between student dancers and graduate physical therapy students in a structured learning environment regarding prevention of dance injuries. A second aim was to determine the utility of a self-report outcome measure and the Functional Movement Screen (FMS). Dance injuries were evaluated at baseline, the end of the fall semester, and during the spring semester using the Self-Estimated Functional Inability Scale (SEFIS) and the FMS. A Pilates-based intervention was provided by an expert in dance during the fall semester; weekly interactions occurred between dance and physical therapy students with qualitative responses collected. Results showed the Pilates-based protocol was feasible for dancers’ training and resulted in no injuries. The FMS showed little change over the 12-week intervention, but the SEFIS showed improvement throughout the three timed measures. The interaction and educational component showed positive experiences between students in both disciplines.