FUNCTIONAL TRAINING EFFECTS ON POSTURAL CONTROL CAPACITY IN SPORTS DANCERS

ABSTRACT Introduction Functional training can improve athletes’ coordination and physical control. Some studies prove the improvement of the strength of the core muscles after functional training. However, the research that questions athletes’ dynamic balance submitted to functional training is inconclusive. Objective To analyze the methods of postural control and the impact of functional training on sports dancers. Methods Young sports dancers were randomly divided into control and experimental groups. Both groups performed traditional fitness training, and a functional training protocol was added to the experimental group. Mathematical statistics were employed in the comparative analysis of the fitness of the two groups of athletes before and after training. Results The athletes in the functional training group rapidly achieved postural control ability, with high statistical relevance(P<0.05). Conclusion Athletes need to adopt a scientific and systematic training plan when performing sports dance training. The establishment of the test indexes for postural control ability in athletes can be diversified. Evidence Level II; Therapeutic Studies – Investigating the results.

Factor Analysis and Mental Health Prevention of Employee Turnover under the Profit-Centered Development of Modern Service Industry

Recently, the employee turnover rate of the modern service industry has continued to increase, leading to a decline in the service quality, customer turnover, and an increase in human costs. Meanwhile, fierce competition and enterprises' internal pressure have brought great psychological trauma to employees and affected their mental health. Understanding and finding out the factors that affect employees' resignations are the solutions to employees' mental health problems. The research innovation lies in building a relationship model between turnover intention, psychological contract, and job satisfaction; analyzing the influence mechanism and interaction of various variables in the model; and providing reference and thinking for the service industry to solve the problem of excessive turnover of employees. Besides, the questionnaire design and investigation are carried out, and 60 front-line employees of a service company are selected as the research objects. The results show that the overall internal consistency coefficient of SCL-90 is 0.96, and the overall consistency coefficient is directly proportional to the scale's reliability. The validity coefficient of SCL-90 is 0.79, which has good compatibility validity. Moreover, the correlation coefficient between the psychological contract and turnover intention is 0.621, and the Sig value is 0.00. The correlation coefficient between job satisfaction and turnover intention is −0.663, and the Sig value is 0.00. The psychological contract is positively correlated with turnover intention, and job satisfaction is negatively correlated with turnover intention. After the standard dance experiment, the P values of psychological indicators such as somatization, interpersonal relationship, depression, anxiety, and psychosis factors of employees in the control and experimental groups are all less than 0.05, indicating a significant correlation. Therefore, through 12 weeks of standard dance practice, all psychological indicators of the experimental group are significantly improved. However, the change results of the terror factor and paranoia factor are P > 0.05, showing no significant difference. After the standard dance experiment, there is a significant difference between the control and experimental groups in mental health factors, but no significant difference in terror and paranoia factors. This study has significant reference value for the prevention of employee turnover and mental health.

Relationship of Extrinsic Risk Factors to Lower Extremity Injury in Collegiate Ballet Dancers

Ballet dancers are thought to be at higher risk of lower extremity injury. This objective of this study was to describe the self-reported incidence, location, and factors associated with lower extremity injury in collegiate ballet dancers. Two hundred and forty-nine female ballet dancers responded to a questionnaire that addressed their injury event/location, dance behavior over the past 2 years, and overall dance history. Behaviors assessed included the following: types and number of shoes worn (pointé shoes/ballet slippers), wear time, training time (session frequency and duration), use of warm-up/cool-down, and use of a strengthening program and lower extremity accessory. Overall dance history included age of the onset of training, total years of experience, and number of dance styles. Backward multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the extent to which variables measured were associated with injury. Ankle injury was the most prevalent injury. Years of wearing pointé shoes (adjusted odds ratio = 1.21, p = 0.01) and days/weeks in pointé shoes (adjusted odds ratio = 1.26, p = 0.04) were associated with an increased risk of injury; while additional strengthening (adjusted odds ratio = 0.39, p = 0.02) and use of lower extremity accessories during classes/rehearsals (adjusted odds ratio = 0.64, p = 0.01) were protective associations. These findings suggested that the use of pointé shoes, lower extremity accessories, and additional exercise should specifically be recorded during evaluation of injured ballet dancers; and must be considered potential factors to modify during rehabilitation.

Postural analysis in female Bharatanatyam dancers: a cross-sectional study

Background

Gaining proficiency in Bharatanatyam dance form necessitates maintenance of different postures for prolonged duration. These repetitive movements place tremendous physical demands on the body at young age and may alter the postural profile of the dancer. The study aimed to evaluate the differences in terms of posture between female Bharatanatyam dancers and age-matched non-dancers. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 40 female Bharatanatyam dancers and 40 age-matched female non-dancers in the age group of 18 to 30 years. Analysis of erect standing posture of dancers and non-dancers was conducted in a reserved environment using a photogrammetric method. Static photographs of the subjects were taken in the sagittal plane. The measurement of the angles of the digitized photographs was performed using KINOVEA 0.8.15 software. Head protrusion angle, cervical lordosis angle, thoracic kyphosis angle, lumbar lordosis angle, and pelvic tilt angle were evaluated.

Results

There was no significant difference between the dancers and non-dancers with respect to head protrusion angle (p = 0.081), cervical lordosis (p = 0.15), and thoracic kyphosis (p = 0.33). Significant differences were identified between the dancers and non-dancers for lumbar lordosis (p = 0.00) and pelvic tilt (p = 0.00) using independent t test with dancers. Higher values of lumbar lordosis and pelvic tilt were observed in dancers.

Conclusion

Increased lumbar lordosis and anterior pelvic tilt were observed in Bharatanatyam dancers as compared to non-dancers. Hence, it is vital to establish preventive measures like postural re-education, muscular balance, and flexibility to prevent erroneous postural patterns capable of causing pain and injuries.

Relationships between sports club participation and physical fitness and body mass index in childhood

BACKGROUND

Physical fitness (PF) is a powerful determinant of health. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between sports club (SC) participation and PF, and body mass index (BMI) in children.

METHODS

The population included 15,625 children (8,029 boys and 7,596 girls) 5 to 10 years old divided into three aged groups. PF was assessed with the Diagnoform® Kid from 5 tests measuring different components: cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, speed, coordination, agility and flexibility. BMI was calculated. SC participation was documented. The sports were classified into four categories based on the educational goal (C1, C2, C3, C4). The relationships between sex, age, BMI class and SC participation were tested.

RESULTS

The children who practiced in SC had better PF than those who did not. C1 (track and field, swimming, triathlon and cycling) and C4 (team, combat and racket sports) sports seemed to be associated with a better PF.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that SC participation may be an element for building health. Preventive healthcare projects for SC dropouts (obese children and girls) are needed.

Special Considerations for Growing Dancers

Care of young dancers requires a unique approach during a critical time of growth and development. Young dancers' well-being depends on factors including sleep, mental health, growth-associated musculoskeletal imbalances, and nutrition. Puberty is a particularly important time for young dancers. It coincides with an increased commitment to their art form and physical/psychosocial changes. It is imperative for practitioners to understand these various factors in order to optimize young dancers' health and allow them to safely train and perform.

Do Grade II Ankle Sprains Have Chronic Effects on the Functional Ability of Ballet Dancers Performing Single-Leg Flat-Foot Stance? An Observational Cross-Sectional Study

Ballet dancers have a higher risk than the general population of ankle sprains. Ankle proprioception is of the utmost importance for executing static and dynamic positions typical of ballet dancing. Ankle sprains can create changes in functional ability that may affect ballet performance. The aim of this cross-sectional observational study is to evaluate if non-professional ballet dancers that were previously injured with a grade II ankle sprain carry a long-term stability deficit in ballet specific positions (passé, arabesque) and in single-leg flat-foot stance, thereby affecting ballet performance. We enrolled 22 amateur female ballet dancers, 11 who previously had a grade II ankle injury and 11 who had no history of ankle injury. Stabilometric data (Center of Pressure Speed and Elipse Area) were assessed with the postural electronic multisensory baropodometer in normal, arabesque, and passè positions with both open and closed eyes. Using an unpaired t-test, we compared healthy and pathological feet of the ankle injury group for a standard monopodalic position and two ballet-specific positions. No difference between pathological and healthy feet of non-professional ballet dancers who suffered grade II ankle injury was detected. According to the parameters considered in this study, grade II ankle sprains seem to have a favorable prognosis in the sample that we evaluated.

Resting Energy Expenditure, Body Composition and Phase Angle in Anorectic, Ballet Dancers and Constitutionally Lean Males

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of anorexia nervosa among males is increasing but few data are available in the literature. This cross sectional study aims to evaluate resting energy expenditure (REE) and phase angle as a marker of qualitative changes of fat free mass (FFM) in three leanness groups as compared with control subjects.

METHODS

17 anorectic (AN) males, 15 constitutionally lean (CL) individuals, 12 ballet dancers (DC), and 18 control (CTR) subjects were evaluated. REE was measured by indirect calorimetry (V max29- Sensormedics), and body composition was evaluated by bioimpedance analysis (BIA) at 50 kHz (DS Medica). Phase angle (a bioimpedance variable related to nutritional status) was used to evaluate differences in FFM characteristics between these three types of leanness.

RESULTS

REE, adjusted for FFM and fat mass (FM), were significantly higher in CL and lower in AN individuals (1783 ± 47 vs. 1291 ± 58 kcal, p < 0.05) compared to the other groups. Body composition was similar in AN and CL whereas dancers had the highest FFM (58.9 ± 4.8 kg, p < 0.05); anorectic males showed the lowest phase angle (5.8 ± 1.2 degrees vs. other groups, p < 0.05) and dancers the highest phase angle (7.9 ± 0.7 degree vs. other group, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings confirm that phase angle could be a useful marker of qualitative changes, above all in the field of sport activities. On the other hand, there is the need to further evaluate the relationship between resting energy expenditure, body composition and endocrine status in different conditions of physical activity and dietary intake.