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Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12503/29936
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Browsing Other by Author "Balyakina, Elizabeth"
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Item Compensatory tibial torsion as a component of ballet turnout(2020) Patterson, Rita; Surve, Sajid; Hershberger, Nathan; Balyakina, Elizabeth; Mirochnitchenko, AlissaPurpose: Classical ballet emphasizes external rotation (ER) of the hip joint as the primary mechanism of turnout, with ideal turnout being 180 degrees. Due to anatomical constraints, few dancers are able to achieve this ideal without compensating elsewhere in the kinetic chain. It is common for dancers to compensate for inadequate hip ER with tibial torsion. Misalignment caused by compensations puts dancers at risk for ligamentous injuries, degenerative bony changes, and reduced strength. The purpose of this study is to determine the contribution of tibial torsion to turnout in a sample of elite ballet dancers. Methods: The study sample consisted of five male and five female professional ballet dancers. Using motion capture technology, each dancer was filmed completing barre exercises at three different times during the performance season. Rotational movement at the femoroacetabular and tibiofemoral joints was approximated using motion markers placed on common anatomical landmarks. Results: Degrees of ER at the femoroacetabular and tibiofemoral joints remained consistent between visits and trials. Females demonstrated tibial turnout of 12-14 degrees across various movements, and males demonstrated 15-17 degrees. Across all movements, females demonstrated more turnout at the hip joint than males. Femoral and tibial ER also varied by the type of movement performed. Conclusions: According to classical ballet ideal aesthetics, 5 degrees of turnout should originate from each knee joint. The degrees of turnout originating from the knee in this sample exceed these values. The degrees of turnout observed may be due to dancers' anatomy and extent of training.Item Movement Patterns in Dancers: Analysis of Pelvis and Hip Movement in Elite Ballerinas(2020) Patterson, Rita; Surve, Sajid; Hershberger, Nathan; Balyakina, Elizabeth; Thomas, Andrew; Mirochnitchenko, AlissaPurpose: Ballet dancers place extreme demands on their bodies throughout their careers. To reduce injury risk and prolong a ballet dancer's career, attention must be paid to correct positioning and joint biomechanics. The specific aim of the Movement Patters in Dancers study was to observe changes in posture and movement throughout the ballet performance season. Methods: The study sample consisted of five male and five female professional ballet dancers. Using motion capture technology, each dancer was filmed completing barre exercises at three different times during the performance season. Movement of the pelvis was analyzed in three planes of motion: medial/lateral, flexion/extension, and torsion about a longitudinal axis. Additionally, the hip angle, defined as the angle between the femurs, was calculated. Results: Dancers demonstrated consistency in pelvis movement in all planes throughout the performance season. The degrees of motion observed in each plane varied with the direction in which the movement was performed (side, front, and back). No significant changes were observed between visits. Hip angle varied between the left and right side in both male and female dancers, with female dancers demonstrating larger differences between legs. Conclusions: The pelvic stability demonstrated in this study was reflective of dancers' level of proficiency and training. The difference in hip angle between the left and right legs could be explained by dancers having a dominant leg. Further analyses of the collected data can contribute towards creating a model to assess dancers at different levels of training and assist dancers recovering from injury.