Date of Award

5-2017

Degree Type

Creative Project

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Kinesiology and Health Science

Committee Chair(s)

Eadric Bressel

Committee

Eadric Bressel

Committee

Edward M. Heath

Committee

Brennan Thompson

Abstract

Abstract

Ballet dancers are exposed to the high likelihood of lower extremity injury due to repeated high-impact jumps under stringent ballet rules. According to the claims of current literature, excessive vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) and the rate of force development (RFD) during the landing phase of a jump are highly associated with the incidence of lower extremity injuries. Experience level of the dancer may provide insight into the etiology of such injuries; however, this contention has not been formally tested. The aim of this study was to compare the VGRF and RFD between novice and experienced ballet dancers during a ballet second-position jump landing task. Twelve novice ballet dancers and 10 experienced dancers performed second-position jumps on a force platform that was set flush to the floor. The peak VGRF (N) during the landing phase of the second-position jump in the novice group (369.3 ± 96.8 N) was 60% greater (p = 0.001) than the experienced group (150 ± 63.7 N). Additionally, the RFD (N/s) during the landing phase of the second-position jump in the novice group (4412.6 ± 1.3 N/s) was 67% greater (p = 0.001) than the experienced group (1467 ± 718 N/s). However, there were no significant differences between groups in secondary measures such as peak take off force, flight time, and jump height (p = 0.71, 0.18, 0.20, respectively). The results of this study indicate the need to provide specific instruction, or other countermeasures, on landing technique for novice dancers, which may minimize impact force followed by preventing potential injury.

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