Study of dancers will help them dance more safely

In the project, scientists from the University School of Physical Education in Poznań and the Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice joined forces. They examine classical dancers specializing in modern and folk dance.

"The motor system of a professional dancer is intensively operated practically from the age of 10. Unfortunately, in Poland we still do not have solutions that would mitigate the associated risks" - told PAP the study author, Dr. Joanna Gorwa from the Department of Biomechanics, University School of Physical Education in Poznań, medical physicist, sport dance instructor and occupational health and safety specialist, who since 2000 deals with musculoskeletal system overloads in professional dancers in Poland.

"The program of training dancers in Polish schools lacks methodically structured classes in human anatomy and biomechanics of the dance; dancers do not learn how to work to avoid injuries. The objectives of our research, determining the exact forces, to which dancers are subjected, include their use in practice - in the curricula, perhaps also the formulation of new rules on professional dancer profession in Poland" - she added.

Studies have shown that professional dancers are at risk of osteoporosis. "This relationship is also a result of the musculoskeletal system strain, because recreational sport protects against osteoporosis. The disease threatens dancers, who have hormonal changes. Usually it affects the areas less loaded in daily training, e.g. the radius. The body tends to protect the heavily strained pelvis and femur with strong mineralization" - said the researcher.

In total, in recent years, together with colleagues from the Silesian University of Technology she examined approx. 30 dancers. Classical dance was the style, in which they identified the highest impact forces. During the landing phase of dance jump, the vertical component of ground reaction force reaches up to ten times the weight of the dancer.

Modern dance that has a greater margin in stage movement is somewhat less burdensome - ground reaction forces reach five times the weight of the dancer. The last group of subjects were professional folk dance artists. Folk dance, as it turns out, also has its own characteristics and different forces.

The study began in January, at the initiative of the artists, and a former dancer and current occupational health and safety specialist Marcin Kędziora, with the support of the management of the Song and Dance Group "Silesia". 6 dancers from the group came to the Department of Biomechatronics of the Silesian University of Technology. The study determined the external forces (ground reaction force) acting on the dancers during movements, evaluated posture, the ability to maintain balance, strength and speed-strength ability.

Researchers used Kistler force plate installed in the floor for this purpose. Dancers wore special suits equipped with inertial sensors placed at various parts of the body.

"Using the collected data and the methods of mathematical modelling, we are able to determine in which moments the forces acting on the muscular skeletal system are the greatest" - said Dr. Robert Michnik from the Silesian University of Technology.

Article on the study of dancers by the team composed of Joanna Gorwa, Lechosław Dworak, Robert Michnik and Jacek Jurkojć has been published in the prestigious scientific journal "Medical Science Monitor".

PAP - Science and Scholarship in Poland

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