Don’t go chasing waterfalls: Multiple factor prediction of injuries in a performance context

Injury surveillance informs risk management strategies for athletes and performing artists yet the predictive value of multiple factors is understudied. This study analyzed demographic, sleep, fatigue, body composition, symmetry/proportionality, and psychological data from a cohort of circus arts students to predict injury presence and duration using regression models. Demographics alone significantly predicted injury presence (R² ​= ​0.344) and duration (R² ​= ​0.247). Additional factors explained 1.5-9.0 ​% of variation for injury presence and 0.0-7.8 ​% for duration. These findings inform the development of holistic risk management strategies for performing artists and athletes and cautions against chasing single predictor variables.