IADMS Madrid 2001   [back to the Category]

Muscular activity study during relevé in first and sixth position in ballet dancers   [read the french version]

Author :   Nuria Massó, MD, Emilia Pérez, MD, & al

Muscular activity study during relevé in first and sixth position in ballet dancers

Nuria Massó, MD, Emilia Pérez, MD, Ferrán Rey, Anna Germán, PT; Laboratorio de Biomecánica Blanquerma, Universidad Ramon Llull, Barcelona, Spain

Most of the Dancers pathology in lower limbs are overuse syndromes. For an accurate performance of the treatment, it is important to be aware of the etiology and particularly the related biomechanical mechanism of the most relevant and repetitive position in Dancing, “Relevé.” Relevé implies a muscular and joint overuse.

On the other hand there is a relationship between the muscular activity and posture
of lower limbs during the performance of the position. We studied the muscular activity during relevé in first and sixth position. We analyzed the muscular activity and possible changes because of: Postural change at the lower limb ( with and without “en dehors” ) and degree of foot pronation.

Material and methods: 30 Dancers of Classical ballet with ages between 16 to 30 years old were studied. Clinical questionnaires and physical examination were focused toward the observation of morphological and postural foot anomalies. We studied electromyographic photos of the following muscle of the right lower limb: Peroneus, Soleus, Tibialis Posterior, Gastrocnemius, and Abductor Hallucis.
Data collection is done in four different conditions:

1. First position
2. sixth position
3. First position with foot pronated
4. Sixth position with foot pronated