Sensory organization determinants of postural stability in trained ballet dancers.
Trained ballet dancers and nondancer controls completed six balance tests using computerized dynamic posturography. The tests facilitated assessment of the type of sensory organization used to maintain postural control under conditions ranging from quiet standing to a situation in which visual and/or somatosensory information was systematically removed or made unreliable. Results indicated that ballet dancers and controls have comparable balance ability during eyes open and eyes closed conditions. However, when somatosensory information alone or in combination with visual information was made unreliable, dancers were significantly less stable than controls and utilized a hip strategy to maintain postural control.
Simmons
Roger W
RW
Motor Control Laboratory, Department of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182, USA. rsimmons@mail.sdsu.edu
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D003615:Dancing / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D012027:Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis