Chapter 2 Screening the Young Dancer: Summarizing Thirty Years of Screening Nili Steinberg, PhD and Itzhak Siev-Ner, MD Pertinent Definitions Screening: The process of applying tools that measure functional capacities in individual dancers such as range of motion (ROM), body alignment, and relevant anatomic deviations. The goal is to help prevent injuries by providing guidance for training adaptations and skill acquisition. Joint range of motion (ROM): Refers to the number of degrees of motion that are present in a joint, as commonly assessed by use of a goniometer. Turnout: The ability of a dancer to stand and move with the legs externally rotated at the hip so that the toes are directed diagonally away from the midline of the body. Joint hypermobility: Joint hypermobility is characterized by increased joint flexi- bility, where the joints move beyond the “normal” limits. The primary cause of hypermobility is attributed to changes in the collagen fiber structure, which is inherent and determined by the fibrous protein genes. This characteristic is often assessed by use of the Beighton scale. Anatomical alignment: The arrangement of body segments as seen in various postural positions. The ideal or standard alignment involves a minimal amount of stress and strain and is conducive to maximal ef ficiency of the body. Incorrect dance technique: Bad habits or patterns of movement, frequently involving lack of suf ficient ROM in a specific joint that is compensated for at other joints, causing excessive shear forces that may result in a breakdown of tissue. N. Steinberg, PhD (&) The Wingate College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Wingate College, Wingate Institute, Netanya, Israel e-mail: knopp@wincol.ac.il I. Siev-Ner, MD Department of Orthopedic Rehabilitation, Sheba Medical Center, 109 Rothschild Blvd., Tel-HaShomer, Tel Aviv, Israel e-mail: zivner@netvision.net.il © Springer International Publishing AG 2017 R. Solomon et al. (eds.), Prevention of Injuries in the Young Dancer, Contemporary Pediatric and Adolescent Sports Medicine, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-55047-3_2 15