In a world where urban arts like breakdancing They are admired for their energy, style and acrobatics, but few have stopped to consider the physical risks associated with this type of activity. It’s the story of a 30-year-old young man who was recently diagnosed with a 30-centimeter brain tumor, after five years of intense breakdancing. A shocking observation which opens a debate on health and safety in extreme sports and disciplines.
Throughout these five years, the young man experienced frequent headaches and balance problems. “I attributed it to the physical exertion, the falls and the blows that the thugs inevitably suffer. “I never gave it any importance,” he recalls. These symptoms, common in the practice of breakdancing Due to the intense spinning and beating, Javier and those around him ignored the possibility of serious illness.
After years of living with these discomforts, the young man decides to go to a neurologist after an episode of loss of consciousness during training. After a series of tests, including an MRI, the diagnosis was made: a 30-centimeter tumor that had gradually grown in his head. The news was devastating.
“When they told me, I was shocked. A tumor that size…I couldn’t believe it. There was something giant in my head and I had no idea,” he marvels.
Dr. Christian Baastrup Søndergaardspecialist in neurosurgery at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, explains: “These types of high-impact activities can aggravate or ignore the symptoms of serious illnesses, as in this case. “Although breakdancing did not directly cause the tumor, the repeated blows and physical demands on the head may have exacerbated symptoms or delayed diagnosis.”
“This case highlights the importance of recognizing chronic scalp conditions in dancers. breakdancer and suggests that surgical intervention may be an effective treatment.
Risks associated with repetitive turns
Breakdancers may be at risk of developing a disease caused by repeatedly practicing a movement fundamental to their practice and performance, the headpin, the repetitive rotation of the head. This is what they warn in a new article in the magazine BMJ Case Reports signed by Christian Baastrup Sondergaard from the Department of Neurosurgery at Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark
This condition, known as “swivel head hole” or “breakdance bump”, is specific to breakdancers and appears as a protruding bump on the scalp, often accompanied by hair loss and pain.
Breakdancers are particularly prone to injury due to the complexity and physical demands of the movements, the authors note. Sprains, strains and tendinitis are particularly common. Head and brain injuries, including subdural hematomas (collection of blood between the skull and brain), have also been reported.
Additionally, prolonged breakdancing often leads to “breakdancer overuse syndrome”, which includes several conditions, such as breakdancer overuse syndrome. carpal tunnel And swollen and inflamed tendons (tenosynovitis), as well as hair loss and scalp irritation, the authors add.
