THE INFLUENCE OF DANCE TRAINING AND FOOT POSITION ON LANDING MECHANICS

In this study, the influence of dance training and foot position on landing mechanics was examined by comparing the landings from jumps in modern dance and ballet performed by dancers, dance students, and nondancers. Ankle, knee, and hip kinematics and vertical impulse characteristics of straight body jumps performed in first-position parallel and first-position ballet were quantified and compared across three groups: dancers with an average of 13 years of dance experience, dance students with 0.3 years of dance experience, and controls with no years of dance experience. Kinematic and reaction force data were acquired simultaneously using shuttered video and a force plate. Statistical comparisons of landing characteristics were made between subjects and across foot position using analysis of variance techniques. Significant differences in minimum knee and hip angular positions were found between groups; however, no significant differences in minimum ankle angles were observed. Dancers also demonstrated significantly greater knee angular velocities than did the students or the controls. No significant differences in peak vertical reaction forces were found between groups or foot positions. These results suggest that professional dance training may influence the mechanics used during the landing phase of jumps.