The Usefulness of Performance Matrix Tests in Locomotor System Evaluation of Girls Attending a Ballet School — Preliminary Observation

Abstract

[Purpose] Learning ballet is connected with continuous use of the locomotor system while subjecting it to high loads. Therefore, we conducted some research defining the appearance of weak links in the motor system, in order to eliminate the risk of injury. [Methods] Fifty-two female students of a ballet school were examined. To identify weak links, low-threshold Performance Matrix tests were performed. An analysis of weak link occurrence in the locomotor system was carried out, using two way analysis of variance ANOVA Tukey’s HSD test, clustering methods and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). [Results] The average age of the subjects was 11.64±0.53 years (mean ± standard deviation), their average body height was 151.1±7.5 cm, their average body weight was 35.92±5.41 kg, and their average time of learning at ballet school was 2.17±0.65 years. We found that there were significant differences in weak links occurrence in the motor system of every girl examined. [Conclusions] Weak links were found in every location of the motor system. Our results show that the influence of weak link location is essentially different from their occurrence, and that learning ballet has a significantly different impact on the number of weak links in different locations.

Application of Functional Tests in the Prevention from Musculoskeletal Injuries in Young Classical Style Wrestlers

“…The use of such a program in a wrestlers training cycle should enable more effective impact on the improvement of motor control and the functioning of the musculoskeletal system. Assessing the musculoskeletal system using Performance Matrix Tests has hitherto been carried out on athletes in a range of disciplines: fencers, hockey players, canoeists and rowers, as well as among amateur athletes, such as university sports students and pupils at ballet school [9][10][11][12][13]. Some athletes, on identifying weak links in the musculoskeletal system, segmental stabilization training was undertaken which significantly reduced them [11].…”

Injury Occurrence and Return to Dance in Professional Ballet: Prospective Analysis of Specific Correlates

“…Mechanisms of injury are well known [ 4 , 7 ]. In brief, professional ballet dancers train up to 40 h per week in addition to performances, and the high number of training hours and repetition results in gradual wear and tear that progressively worsens over time [ 8 ]. In other words, ballet dancers exploit their locomotor system, which leads to breaking the limits of the adaptive mechanisms and results in motor system dysfunctions and injury.…”