title: Analysis of foot load during ballet dancers' gait.
abstract: Ballet is an art that puts extreme demands on the dancer's musculoskeletal system and therefore significantly affects motor behavior of the dancers. The aim of our research was to compare plantar pressure distribution during stance phase of gait between a group of professional ballet dancers and non-dancers. Thirteen professional dancers (5 men, 8 women; mean age of 24.1 ± 3.8 years) and 13 nondancers (5 men, 8 women; mean age of 26.1 ± 5.3 years) participated in this study. Foot pressure analysis during gait was collected using a 2 m pressure plate. The participants were instructed to walk across the platform at a self-selected pace barefoot. Three gait cycles were necessary for the data analysis. The results revealed higher (p < 0.05) pressure peaks in medial edge of forefoot during gait for dancers in comparison with nondancers. Furthermore, differences in total foot loading and foot loading duration of rearfoot was higher (p < 0.05) in dancers as well. We can attribute these differences to long-term and intensive dancing exercises that can change the dancer's gait stereotype.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacky University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Marketa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prochazkova
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacky University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tepla
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacky University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Zdenek
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Svoboda
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacky University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Janura
authors.affiliation: Karvina Mining Hospital, Karvina-Nove mesto, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Miloslava
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cieslarová
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003615:Dancing / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000502:physiology*; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011312:Pressure; D016474:Weight-Bearing; D055815:Young Adult