(CNN) – Researchers in Denmark A Case report It reveals an unexpected effect of one of the most iconic moves in breakdancing: the headspin.
Breakdance, or breaking As its athletes call it, it debuted as an official sport at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Although hacking is celebrated for its playfulness and creativity, it also carries physical risks. These include carpal tunnel syndrome and other nerve problems, as well as a condition known in the fracturing community as a vertigo hole, an overuse injury that can affect the scalp.
The condition usually starts with hair loss, but can develop into a noticeable lump on the top of the head.
In a case report published Thursday in the BMJ medical journal, a 30-year-old man who had practiced breakdancing for nearly 20 years was treated for a benign tumor that had grown more than 30 centimeters and 2.5 centimeters thick.
The condition, sometimes called breakdancing lump, is thought to be aggravated by pressure from movement due to repetitive friction between the scalp and the floor when turning the head.
“We believe the condition is caused by repeated friction between the head and the floor,” said Dr. Christian Bastrup Sondergaard, a neurosurgeon at Rikshospitalet in Copenhagen.
“Repeated pressure on the skull, scalp, and skin induces inflammation, and over time, small bleeds thicken the skin and scar tissue, forming the characteristic tumor,” explained Sondergaard, co-author of the report, who treated the patient.
The patient reported discomfort and pain and avoided going outside without a hat to cover the lump.
After the surgeons removed the tumor, the patient expressed her relief: “It's great to be able to go out in public without a cap or cap. Many people tell me that now they don't notice the tumor and that my head is completely normal.
Although the breakdancing community has some awareness of the condition, the medical literature on “vertigo hole,” according to the case report, is limited. Users in Reddit's r/bboy community, an online forum for breakdancers, discussed baldness over time and shared tips such as wearing pad hats or adding gel pads under the hat while performing the maneuver.
