Perceptions and experience of mental fatigue in professional ballet: a qualitative study

Mental fatigue is indicated by changes to subjective, neurobiological, and/or behavioural measures, however there is currently no clear gold standard measurement. Data were coded by two researchers and analysed using thematic content analysis. Key themes derived from the focus groups and interviews were; (1) Dancers and dance staff perceive that new and complex learning contributes to MF, (2) Dancers perceive symptomatic changes to their mood, cognitive capacity, and perception of effort when they are mentally fatigued, (3) Dancers and dance staff perceive that MF negatively affects their physical and cognitive performance as well as increases their risk of acute and over-use injury and (4) Dancers report the use of psychological, social, environmental and nutritional strategies to manage MF.