Kinematic repeatability of a multi-segment foot model for dance* |
| |
| Authors: | Sarah L Carter Nahoko Sato Luke S Hopper |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Division, Faculty of Health &2. Medical Sciences, School of Allied Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia;3. Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia;4. Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Science, Nagoya Gakuin University, Seto, Aichi, Japan;5. Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia |
| |
| Abstract: | The purpose of this study was to determine the intra and inter-assessor repeatability of a modified Rizzoli Foot Model for analysing the foot kinematics of ballet dancers. Six university-level ballet dancers performed the movements; parallel stance, turnout plié, turnout stance, turnout rise and flex-point-flex. The three-dimensional (3D) position of individual reflective markers and marker triads was used to model the movement of the dancers’ tibia, entire foot, hindfoot, midfoot, forefoot and hallux. Intra and inter-assessor reliability demonstrated excellent (ICC ≥ 0.75) repeatability for the first metatarsophalangeal joint in the sagittal plane. Intra-assessor reliability demonstrated excellent (ICC ≥ 0.75) repeatability during flex-point-flex across all inter-segmental angles except for the tibia-hindfoot and hindfoot-midfoot frontal planes. Inter-assessor repeatability ranged from poor to excellent (0.5 > ICC ≥ 0.75) for the 3D segment rotations. The most repeatable measure was the tibia-foot dorsiflexion/plantar flexion articulation whereas the least repeatable measure was the hindfoot-midfoot adduction/abduction articulation. The variation found in the inter-assessor results is likely due to inconsistencies in marker placement. This 3D dance specific multi-segment foot model provides insight into which kinematic measures can be reliably used to ascertain in vivo technical errors and/or biomechanical abnormalities in a dancer’s foot motion. |
| |
| Keywords: | Biomechanics en pointe ballet joint rotation |
|
|
