Ankle biomechanics of ballet dancers in relevé en pointé dance.

The objective of this study was to study the ankle biomechanics in relevé en pointé of ballet dancers and to investigate the symmetry between dominant and nondominant sides. A three-dimensional motion analysis system and two force platforms were used to collect segmental motion and ground reaction force data during relevé en pointé dancing. Thirteen ballet dancers, each of whom had over 5 years' dance experience (11.37 +/- 3.9 years), were recruited for this study. The results showed that ankle movement patterns were highly correlated (ICC = 0.99) in bilateral comparisons, but only moderate correlation was found in ankle joint moment patterns (ICC = 0.66). The nonldominant ankle showed the same excursion patterns, but different joint moments, when compared to the dominant ankle in relevé en pointé. The indication was that the two ankle joints may play different roles in controlling balance and movements throughout the entire period of the dance movements. Ankle bionmechanical patterns of the fiundamental ballet dance movement, relevé en pointé, also were constructed in this study to help interpret and understand the bilateral ankle joint excursion pattern.