Médecine des arts journal N°83. Special issue on dancers' health

Médecine des arts journal N°83. Special issue on dancers' healthArtist'Health, musicians, singers, dancers, painters

Issue 83. Special Issue on dancers' health
Medical and scientific approach to artistic practices

Free shipping

The articles of the journal are not sold independently, the price of 17 euros corresponds to the price of the whole magazine, all articles and chronicles.

Edito Arts Medicine N° 83

Hamstring Muscles and Muscle Strain Among Dancers, or How to Avoid Overdoing It

Pages 4-11, n°83 Arts Medicine Journal

Hamstring Muscles and Muscle Strain Among Dancers, or How to Avoid Overdoing It
Dance is an art that combines the aesthetic with the athletic. The dancer’s body is indeed his/her means of expression and working tool. In the same way as musicians explore all of the possibilities offered by their instrument as they strive for perfection, dancers make use of every part of their body to push themselves toward the ideal.
Injury to the hamstring muscles among athletes (such as sprinters and soccer players) is often the result of requiring a violent effort of a not-very-supple muscle, but when such injuries occur in dancers, the mechanism is quite different. How does a presumably flexible muscle get torn? What role do limbering exercises play in the daily life of a professional dancer? And how do dancers avoid over-stretching a muscle? The purpose of this study was to answer these questions, in view of proposing routes for preventing muscle injuries.

The method used includes a non-comprehensive literature review aimed at presenting the circumstances under which injuries occur in dancers, possible types of treatment, and preventive measures. The mechanisms that lead to hamstring muscles injury are described, along with the risk factors for the target population. A questionnaire distributed to dancers brought out some ideas for enhancing and maintaining flexibility among professional dancers.

A suitable training program and a balanced ratio between the quadriceps and the hamstring muscles could help reduce injuries of this muscle group among dancers. Preventive strategies should be based mainly on proprioception. However, other factors specific to the universe of dancers still need to be studied and incorporated into an overall therapeutic plan for professional dancers.
Egron-Reverseau

Key words: dancer; stretching; hamstring muscles; semitendinosus; biceps femoris; semimembranosus; rehabilitation; prevention.


The Role of Psychological Factors in the Career of the Independent Dancer

Pages 12-32, N° 83. Arts Medicine Journal

Previous research indicates that psychological factors such as motivation and mental skills play an important role in relation to performance and to negotiating talent development stages. However, little is known about these factors in dance, particularly with regard to the independent dancer whose career may involve multiple roles, varied work patterns, and periods of instability. The aim of this study was to explore dancers’ motivation to work in an independent capacity, and the extent to which dancers’ psychological characteristics and skills enabled them to navigate a career in this demanding sector. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 dancers at different stages of their careers. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and content analyzed. Analysis revealed that the dancers were intrinsically motivated and highly committed to the profession. Working in the independent sector offered dancers opportunities for growth and fulfillment; they appreciated the autonomy, flexibility and freedom that the independent career afforded, as well as working with new people across roles and disciplines. In order to overcome the various challenges associated with the independent role, optimism, self-belief, social support, and career management skills were crucial. The mental skills reported by the participants had developed gradually in response to the demands that they faced. Therefore, mental skills training could be invaluable for dancers to help them successfully negotiate the independent sector.
Imogen Aujla, Rachel Farrer

Key words: motivation, mental skills, dancer, dancing, positive psychology,


En-dehors in Ballet Dancing: Functional Importance of the First Metatarsus

Pages 34-39, N°83. Arts Medicine Journal

The present study of the en-dehors position in a population of ballerinas showed that functional impairment of the hip and knee joints can lead to compensations on the foot, which is in pronation, and on the first metatarsus, which becomes overloaded. To make up for the pronation, ballerinas pull on the medial part of the foot in order to raise the inner edge via contraction of the posterior tibial muscle. The aim of this study was to find out whether raising the first metatarsal head decreases this effort and stabilizes the dancer’s posture.
This epidemiological survey (including a clinical examination) showed that an orthotic device positioned under the first metatarsal head, in first position, stabilized the ankle and made the en-dehors easier to achieve. The results of the experimental study aligned with those of the survey, and provided evidence of a decrease in anterior-posterior oscillations on demi-pliés and demi-pointes, along with improved stability.
All of the dancers who were dissatisfied with the orthotic device presented a calcaneal axis that was either physiological or was in varus position. They therefore felt no need to support the inner edge of the medial foot during en-dehors execution.
It would be worthwhile to study the adaptability of this facilitating device to demi-pointe ballet shoes, as well as its longer-term effects on the physiology of ballerinas.
Marie Carausse-Mouyen

Key words: dance, dancer, en-dehors, foot, metatarsus, kinematic study,


Manual Preparation of the Foot for Female Salsa Dancers

Pages 40-49, N°83. Arts Medicine Journal

Manual Preparation of the Foot for Female Salsa Dancers
The salsa is danced by a couple, with the woman wearing high-heeled shoes. During execution, the feet are almost totally supported by a digitigrade stance (demi-pointes), and salsa dancers often complain of plantar pain during practice and after a performance. A manual technique for preparing the feet based on massage and stretching was devised and applied to a population of salsa dancers before they put on their shoes. The effects were evaluated. The results showed that preparing the foot before the heels are put on substantially diminished the painful sensations present after dancing. The mechanism underlying this pain is also described.
Annabelle Cremaschi

Key words: dance, female salsa dancer, foot, demi-pointes, pain; preparation, prevention,


Pages 52-55, N°83 Arts Medicine Journal

pages 57-58, N°83 Arts Medicine Journal

Pages 59-60, N°83 Arts Medicine Journal

Version papier
17€

Subscription, France, EEC (1 year, 2 issues)
34€

Subscription Outside EEC (1 year, 2 issues)
37€

Les garanties médecine des arts

Articles en stock
Envoi dans les 24h

Paiement
en ligne sécurisé

Une question ?

CONTACTEZ-NOUS
Tél : 05 63 20 08 09


Par mail