Breakdancing made its Olympic debut this year, with Japan’s B-girl Ami Yuasa and Canada’s B-boy Phil Wizard claiming gold medals. However, as the sport gains global recognition, doctors are raising concerns about the physical toll it can take on dancers. Recent research shows a unique overuse injury linked to breakdancing, commonly known as "headspin hole" or "breakdance bulge."
According to a report in BMJ Case Reports, this condition involves the formation of a lump on the scalp caused by frequent head spins. Despite being well-known within the breakdancing community, "headspin hole" is scarcely documented in medical literature. The report, led by Dr. Christian Baastrup Sondergaard, a neurosurgeon at the Copenhagen University Hospital’s Department of Neurosurgery in Denmark, sheds light on this issue.
The case study involved a man in his early 30s who had been breakdancing for over 19 years. He practiced about five times a week, spending an hour and a half in each session, which often included headspins. Over the last five years, the man noticed a large, painful lump developing on the top of his head. The lump had grown in size, becoming tender, and he began to lose hair around the affected area.
Medical examinations revealed that the skin, tissue, and bone on the top of the man’s scalp had thickened due to the repetitive headspins. Despite the discomfort, the condition didn’t stop him from continuing his breakdancing routine.
"The presence of the lesion and associated discomfort were aesthetically displeasing to the patient, but the protuberance had not hindered the patient from continuing his head-spinning activities," the researchers wrote in the case report.
A broader survey conducted in 2023 among 106 breakdancers in Germany revealed that more than 60 per cent of dancers had experienced scalp-related overuse injuries due to headspins. Around 31 per cent reported hair loss, 24 per cent mentioned painless head bumps, and 37 per cent experienced scalp inflammation. These findings suggest that "headspin hole" may be more common than previously recognized.
In this specific case, doctors decided to surgically treat the condition. They removed the scalp lump and shaved down the extra bone growth on the man’s skull. The excised tissue measured about two inches in length and an inch in thickness. Thankfully, tests confirmed there were no signs of cancer in the removed lump.
The B-boy was pleased with the outcome. "The result is much better than it looked before, and I am glad I had it done. I no longer need to wear a hat in public, which is a great relief. The scar is well-done, and people tell me my overall appearance has improved," he shared in the case report.
Doctors also emphasized that "headspin hole" isn’t the only injury breakdancers face. Repetitive stress from breakdancing can lead to a range of overuse injuries, including carpal tunnel syndrome, tendon inflammation, and shoulder impingement. These issues are collectively known as "breakdancer overuse syndrome."
"This case underscores the importance of recognizing chronic scalp conditions in breakdancers and suggests that surgical intervention can be an effective treatment," the researchers concluded.