The Importance of posture for a dancer

It is critical for dancers to have an adequate posture. When they do not, increased effort is required by the adjacent muscles and soft tissue and a series of compensations occur. As a result, the dancer’s movements are more difficult to execute, performance is affected and injuries are more likely to occur.

Osteopathic study

A study conducted in 2011 focused on the effect of osteopathic treatments on the posture of contemporary dancers. The study was carried out in collaboration with contemporary dance school LADMMI. In total, 34 students participated in the study. They were randomly divided into two groups and only the participants in one of the groups received osteopathic treatments. All of the participants had their posture assessed twice using the BioPrint posture software program. The posture-related information produced by the software program was used to compare any change in posture among the participants in both groups.

The posture-related data was analyzed and interpreted and the results showed a significant improvement in the alignment of certain body segments viewed from the frontal plane, including shoulders, pelvis, knees and feet, among only those participants who received osteopathic treatments. It was also observed that the posture of 33.33% of the participants who did not receive osteopathic treatments worsened significantly compared with 0% of the participants who received osteopathic treatments.

These results suggest that osteopathic treatments stabilized posture and/or slowed down any deterioration. Given the effect of osteopathic treatment on posture, an osteopath can contribute to preventing a dancer’s injuries and improving his or her overall balance.

The pes anserine (inner hamstrings) is made up of three muscles: the semitendinosus, the gracilis and the sartorius. Beginning in the pelvis, they all insert on the inner and upper region of the tibia (shinbone) and their primary role is to stabilize the knee. They are not particularly powerful muscles and therefore do not tend to initiate movement. Instead, their role is to ensure optimal alignment of the different bones that make up the knee (femur, tibia and patella or kneecap) in relation to the foot and the pelvis. They enable more powerful muscles, primarily the quadriceps, to play their key role.

Tendinitis

Tendinitis is common among runners who place considerable strain on their bodies, for instance in activities such as hill running. The knee is placed in a difficult position on hills, particularly on descents: the muscles contract sharply to keep the knee from giving way.

Osteopathic treatment

As for any tendinitis, it is important to identify and remove the cause:

• Review the individual’s training regimen and verify his/her shoes
• Consider muscle insertions: look at the pelvis (and any other tension above the knee)
• Verify muscular flexibility: hamstrings (semitendinosus), adductors (gracilis)
• Normalize any potential injuries involving the sliding and/or rotation of the tibia with regard to the femur
• Verify the presence of any tension below the knee, e.g. a pronated foot that can create excessive tension on the inner side of the knee

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