Breakdancers were today warned that their hobby could cause them to develop a bizarre lump on the top of their skull.
Amazing images showing the injury called the ‘headspin hole’ or ‘breakdown bulge’ which can also cause hair loss.
Doctors believe the condition, which is unique to the sport, is caused by athletes repeatedly twisting on their skulls – the hard bones that protect the brain.
Doctors shared a case of a breakdancer suffering from the unsightly growth in an academic journal as a warning, saying such incidents may require “surgical intervention.”
The unknown man in his early thirties, from Denmark, performed various headspin maneuvers for more than 19 years.
The condition is also called the ‘headspin hole’ or ‘defect bulge’ and also causes a lump on the scalp and tenderness. Pictured: MRI scan results of the man from Denmark, showing the tumor mass
The sport made its debut at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer and made headlines after athlete Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn (pictured) failed to score a single point. The headspin, linked to the fitness, was famously performed by the athlete
Doctors believe the injury, unique to the sport, is caused by athletes repeatedly twisting on their skulls – the hard bones that protect the brain and give shape to the head. Pictured is Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn
He practiced about five times a week, an hour and a half per session.
During these sessions, direct pressure was applied to the top of his head for two to seven minutes.
Despite developing a lump on his head, he continued to practice headspins.
It was only after five years – when the mass began to grow and his scalp began to become sensitive – that he sought medical help after becoming embarrassed to be seen in public without a hat.
MRI scans taken at Copenhagen University Hospital showed that the lump was 33cm in size and that the skin and tissue around it had thickened.
Fortunately, a biopsy confirmed that the lump was not cancerous.
The surgery to remove the growth was successful, but the surrounding skin tissue remained thickened.
However, at a follow-up appointment a month later, the man said he was happy with the outcome of the operation and was able to go out in public again without having to wear a cap.
Writing in the diary BMJ Case Reportssaid the medics: ‘This case highlights the importance of recognizing chronic scalp conditions in breakdancers and suggests that surgical intervention may be an effective treatment.’
However, they noted that this is only the second case ever reported in a medical journal.
Breakdancers are prone to injuries due to the physical demands of the movements.
Sprains, strains and inflamed tendons are especially common.
MRI scans taken at Copenhagen University Hospital showed that the lump was 33 cm in size and that the skin and tissue around it had thickened
The Australian breakdancer, 36, turned into an internet sensation overnight after her wild dance moves during the sporting spectacle became the most talked about moment of the event
Head and brain injuries have also been reported, including subdural hematomas (the pooling of blood between the skull and brain).
But research, published last year in the Journal of Dance Medicine and Sciencealso found that there was a ‘significant difference in hair loss’ between breaker dancers and non-breakers.
Those who practiced more than three headspin sessions per week were significantly more likely to experience hair loss, the US scientists said.
Despite these concerns, the robbers were less likely to seek medical attention.
It comes as the sport made its debut at the Olympics in Paris this summer and hit the headlines after athlete Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn failed to score a single point.
The Australian breakdancer, 36, turned into an internet sensation overnight after her wild dance moves during the sporting spectacle became the most talked about moment of the event.
She was hit with an onslaught of online ridicule and caught the attention of global stars for her unique routine, which included kangaroo hopping and hair rolling on the floor like a snake.