Electromyographic Comparison of Grand Battement Devant at the Barre, in the Center, and Traveling (original) (raw)
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Medical problems of performing artists, 2012
The purpose of this study was to examine grand battement devant at the barre, in the center, and traveling through space. The primary focus was to consider weight transfer in three conditions: from two feet to one foot for the barre and center conditions, and from one foot to the other foot in traveling. Forty female dancers volunteered (mean age 30.0 ± 13.0 yrs) and were placed in three groups: beginner (n = 12), intermediate (n = 14), and advanced (n = 14). Data were collected with a 7-camera Vicon motion capture system using a Plug-in Gait Full Body Marker set and with two Kistler force plates. Dancers executed five grand battement devant in each of three conditions in randomized order: at the barre in 1st position, in the center in 1st position, and traveling through space. Four variables were investigated: center of gravity of the full trunk, center of gravity of the pelvis, center of gravity of the upper trunk, and center of mass. Data were analyzed in three intervals-stance t...
2012
A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Wolverhampton for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy This research programme was carried out in collaboration with the California State University, Northridge This work or any part thereof has not previously been presented in any form to the University or to any other body whether for the purposes of assessment, publication or for any other purpose (unless otherwise indicated). Save for any express acknowledgments, references and/or bibliographies cited in the work, I confirm that the intellectual content of the work is the result of my own efforts and of no other person.
The Examination of Muscle Balance in Dancers
Universal Journal of Public Health, 2016
The aim was to examine the anthropometric parameters of representatives of different dance styles, the strength and extensibility of trunk muscles, and whether low back pain influences performance during a show or stage appearance. According to our hypothesis, low back pain and deviations in the functional conditions of the spine are common in dancers aged 9-18, and can have a negative effect in their performance on stage. In addition, we assume that weakness can be experienced in the strength of the trunk muscles, their extensibility is not appropriate even in spite of regular training. 92 dancers (average age: 14,15± 2,95 years) participated in the examination: 30 ballet dancers, 32 ballroom dancers, and 30 hip-hop dancers. The anthropometric data was measured with OMRON KaradaScan body composition monitor, the level of the negative effect of low back pain on stage performance was measured by visual analogue scale, and the strength and extensibility was measured with a Kraus-Weber test. On the basis of the anthropologic evaluation, we received a significant difference concerning each examined parameters (body weight: p=0,000, height: p= 0,000, muscle mass: p= 0,001, BMI: p=0,000, body fat percentage: p=0,000), the reason of which was the fact that the different dance styles have different physical requirements for the dancers. In accordance with data measured by the visual analogue scale, no significant difference was received (p=0,104) between the examined groups, although the hip-hop dancers reported the highest percentage (10,54%) of the occurrence of low back pain that negatively affects their stage performance. On the basis of the Kraus-Weber test, in the case of both abdominal muscle exercises the hip-hop group had significantly better performance (K-W A.: p=0,016, K-W B.: p=0,001) than the other two groups. Concerning muscle extensibility, (K-W F.: p= 0,030) the ballet group had significantly better results. In the case of all three examined groups it can be claimed that despite regular training, low back complaints occur at a very young age, which also have negative effects on stage performance.
We have studied the kinematics of ballet figures performed by adolescent recreational dancers and determined the most effective muscle stretching modality allowing to increase their physical performance while not harming the aesthetic perception of their motion. Sixteen participants aged between 10 and 19 years were recruited to perform a grand battement, before and after a static or dynamic stretching of hamstring muscles. The three-dimensional kinematics of the grand battement was measured by an optoelectronic system and the aesthetics was scored from a video watched by a jury of professional dancers. Our results show that stretching has a significant impact on grand battement kinematics, and that the most important modifications are induced by dynamic stretching rather than static stretching. Dynamic stretching significantly improves the explosive aspects of the movement (duration and maximal speed), but leads to a significant reduction of its smoothness (jerk). Significant corre...
Upper Limb Static-Stretching Protocol Decreases Maximal Concentric Jump Performance
The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the acute effects of an upper limb static-stretching (SS) protocol on the maximal concentric jump performance. We recruited 25 young healthy, male, resistance trained individuals (stretched group, n = 15 and control group, n = 10) in this study. The randomized between group experimental protocol consisted of a three trials of maximal concentric jump task, before and after a SS of the upper limb. Vertical ground reaction forces (vGRF) and surface electromyography (sEMG) of both gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) and vastus lateralis (VL) were acquired. An extensive SS was employed consisting of ten stretches of 30 seconds, with 15 seconds of rest, and 70-90% of the point of discomfort (POD). ANOVA (2x2) (group x condition) was used for shoulder joint range of motion (ROM), vGRF and sEMG. A significant interaction for passive ROM of the shoulder joint revealed significant increases between pre-and post-SS protocol (p < 0.001). A significant interaction demonstrated decreased peak force and an increased peak propulsion duration between pre-and post-stretching only for stretch group (p = 0.021, and p = 0.024, respectively. There was a significant main effect between groups (stretch and control) for peak force for control group (p = 0.045). Regarding sEMG variables, there were no significant differences between groups (control versus stretched) or condition (pre-stretching versus post-stretching) for the peak amplitude of RMS and IEMG for both muscles (VL and GL). In conclusion, an acute extensive SS can increase the shoulder ROM, and negatively affect both the propulsion duration and peak force of the maximal concentric jump, without providing significant changes in muscle activation.
On the skilled plantar flexor motor action and unique electromyographic activity of ballet dancers
Experimental Brain Research, 2017
The study aimed to compare the ability of dance and non-dance subjects to perform fine control of a simple heel-raising/ lowering movement, and to determine if there are any differences in motor unit activity in the primary plantar flexor muscles during the movement. Subjects were instructed to accurately track a sinusoidal trace with a heel-raising and lowering movement at four controlled frequencies (1, 0.5, 0.25, and 0.125 Hz). The ankle joint angle was used to characterize movement errors from the target. Surface electromyography was recorded from the soleus and medial gastrocnemius muscles. One trial including five sinusoidal traces was divided into two phases: an up phase and a down phase. To characterize motor unit activity of the plantar flexor muscles, a wavelet transform was applied to electromyographic signals recorded in each phase. For both phases, errors in movement accuracy were lower in dancers than in controls (8.7 ± 4.6 vs. 11.5 ± 6.8%, P < 0.05) regardless of the frequency of the sinusoidal wave traced. During the down phase, peak power of soleus electromyographic signals at ~ 10 Hz was statistically larger in control subjects than in dancers (10.4 ± 0.7 vs. 6.3 ± 0.4% total power, P < 0.05). These results indicate that dancers have a higher degree of motor skill in a heel raise tracking task and exhibit adaptations in the motor unit activity during skilled dynamic movements.
11+ Dance: A Neuromuscular Injury Prevention Exercise Program for Dancers
Strength & Conditioning Journal, 2021
Epidemiological studies over the past decade indicate high Injury prevalence in pre-professional ballet 3 (76%), and professional contemporary and ballet dancers (60-69%). Injuries can have detrimental 4 effects both for the dancers and the dance company. Most injuries are in the lower limb and reported 5 as the gradual onset of overuse. Professional dance companies have reduced injury incidence and 6 severity through the implementation of comprehensive injury audit programs and proactive exercise 7 prescription. Injury prevention research in dance is scarce and there has been no intervention 8 targeting dance injuries. This article describes the development of 11+Dance, an injury prevention 9 training program designed for dancers based on current evidence and best practice on injury 10 prevention in sports. It is a 25-30-minute neuromuscular based training program focused on strength, 11 balance and jumping/landing technique, with special attention on ankle, knee, and hip alignment. The 12 high prevalence of injuries reported in the different styles of dance, suggests that implementation of 13 an injury prevention program is both the plausible and ethical action to take for all levels of 14 performance.
Journal of Human Kinetics, 2021
Safe and proper landings are crucial elements of gymnastics events. Long-term training leads to specific neuromuscular adaptations which are yet to be explored in terms of gymnastic landings. The aim of the study was to assess differences in landings’ neuromuscular characteristics between gymnasts at three subsequent gymnastic training stages and age-matched non-athletes. Forty-six gymnasts (G) and 58 controls (C) performed countermovement jumps on a force plate with simultaneous surface electromyography (SEMG) of lower body muscles, measured during the pre-(100 ms) and post-landing phase (0-100 and 0-200 ms). Three age groups participated in the study: 8–10 (G1, C1), 12–14 (G2, C2), 18–25 (G3, C3) years. Analysis included the normalized root mean square (NRMS) SEMG signal and ground reaction forces (GRFs). Gymnasts achieved 13% higher values (p = 0.04) of relative peak GRFs in comparison with controls. It was especially seen in 8–10-year-olds: G1 presented 33% higher (p = 0.03) res...
Journal of Applied Physiology, 2013
Optimization of cocontraction of antagonistic muscles around the ankle joint has been shown to involve plastic changes in spinal and cortical neural circuitries. Such changes may explain the ability of elite ballet dancers to maintain a steady balance during various ballet postures. Here we investigated whether short-term cocontraction training in ballet dancers and nondancers leads to changes in the coupling between antagonistic ankle motor units. Eleven ballet dancers and 10 nondancers were recruited for the study. Prior to training, ballet dancers and nondancers showed an equal amount of coherence in the 15- to 35-Hz frequency band and short-term synchronization between antagonistic tibialis anterior and soleus motor units. The ballet dancers tended to be better at maintaining a stable cocontraction of the antagonistic muscles, but this difference was not significant ( P = 0.09). Following 27 min of cocontraction training, the nondancers improved their performance significantly, ...