Samenvatting

Background: Athletes are frequently at risk of getting injured. Codarts University signals many injuries among their dance students. It is important to understand the factors that could influence injuries. Nutrition and more specifically protein is one of these factors. The effects of animal-based and plant-based protein synthesis are still being studied. A combination of protein type and skeletal muscle injuries among dance students has never been examined. Therefore Codarts requested research about protein type and skeletal muscle injuries. Method: During this cross-sectional research method, 21 second year dance students participated. Protein data were collected with a three-day food diary. The data were extracted and collected in Excel and exported to SPSS. Injury data were obtained from Codarts’ Performing Artist and Athlete Health Monitor. In SPSS mean protein intake was displayed in the categories: <1.2, 1.2-1.7 and >1.7 gram protein per kilogram body weight per day. Mean animal-based and plant-based energy in percentage per day were categorized in tertiles. These variables were added together in a table to examine the relationship between protein type and skeletal muscle injuries. Results: Mean total protein intake was 85.4 ±28.4 gram per day. Mean animal-based protein intake was 38.6 ±26.1 gram per day and mean plant-based protein intake was 46.8 ±18.5 gram per day. The recommended protein intake of 1.2 gram per kilogram body weight per day was achieved by 66.7% (n=14). Of the students with skeletal muscle injuries (n=3) 66.7% had a protein intake >1.2 gram per kilogram body weight per day and 33.3% had a protein intake <1.2 gram per kilogram body weight per day. A more balanced ratio animal-based and plantbased protein intake occurred in students with no skeletal muscle injuries (respectively 40.1 ±27.7 and 42.2 ±14.7 gram) than in students with skeletal muscle injuries (respectively 23.3 ±12.0 and 74.6 ±15.0 gram). When animal-based protein increased and plant-based protein decreased skeletal muscle injuries decreased. Conclusion: There is a possible relationship between protein source and the occurrence of skeletal muscle injuries. However, because of limited students with skeletal muscle injuries, this relationship is not significant.