Levels of physical fitness and analysis of posture tendencies in classic ballerinas

Resumen

Classic ballet is a dance practiced by children and adolescents along all their development process. To get to the high level of technique and performance, it is necessary more than seven years of practice. In this way, the repetition of the technical movements can promote the acquisition of some posture problems, as well as to develop aspects of the specific physical fitness. The aim of this descriptive study was to analyze physical fitness level and posture of ballet dancers. The sample was composed by eleven dancers with more than seven years of practice from ballet schools in Maringá, Paraná. For analysis of posture, the method PSU adapted by Althoff et al. (1988) was applied by using subjective evaluation through symmetrigraf view and deviations analyses of body segments (normal when index of postural correction -IPC>85%). Physical fitness level was determined by anthropometry to identify body composition (body mass index=BMI, % body fat, waist-to-hip ratio), strength test (dynamometry=D), arm strength (SA), abdominal resistance (AR), muscle power (vertical jump=VJ and long jump=LJ), the sit-and-reach test (Fl) and aerobic work capacity (12 minute test). The main results were mean body composition (BMI=19.9kg.m-2; % body fat=22.7% and waist-to-hip ratio=0.69) was appropriate to the activity. Strength and resistance (D=50.3kgf, SA=21, AR=23 and Fl=40cm), muscle power (VJI=36.8cm and LJ=136cm) and aerobic resistance (12min=1526m) mean values were lower than expected. It was noticed that the dancers presented mean IPC of 86,9%. The segment head and neck showed deviations (13% kyphosis), as well as upper and lower back region (8% hyperlordosis), abdomen and hip (13% protruding abdomen and one higher hip) and lower limbs (18% flat feet). The results lead to infer that the posture deviations observed can be consequence of the repetition of characteristic ballet movements along years of training. It is thought that for better performance in this long-term training and for minimizing risk for posture problems, the training should include general and specific physical fitness and also compensatory exercises for the ballet dancers.