Motion of the multi-segmented spine in elite dancers during passé and arabesque.

Background: The spinal biomechanics of dance tasks have received little study and no studies have used a multi-segmented spinal model. Knowledge of how the segments of the spine move may be useful to the dance clinician and dance educator.

Research Question: What is the direction and amount of motion of the primary segments of the spine in elite dancers during an arabesque and a passé?

Methods: This observational study examined 59 elite dancers performing an arabesque and a passé using a three-dimensional motion analysis system with the trunk divided into a series of five segments: pelvis, lower lumbar, upper lumbar, lower thoracic and upper thoracic spine.

Multi-segment spine range of motion in dancers with and without recent low back pain.

Background: Altered spine kinematics are a common in people with LBP. This may be especially true for populations such as dancers, who are required to perform repetitive movements of the spine, although this remains unclear.

Research Question: Do dancers with recent LBP display altered spine kinematics compared to their asymptomatic counterparts?

Methods: A cross-sectional study of multi-segment spine kinematics was performed.

Perceived Benefits of Yoga among Urban School Students: A Qualitative Analysis.

This study reports on the findings of a qualitative evaluation of a yoga intervention program for urban middle and high school youth in New York City public and charter schools. Six focus groups were conducted with students who participated in a year-long yoga program to determine their perceptions of mental and physical benefits as well as barriers and challenges. Results show that students perceived the benefits of yoga as increased self-regulation, mindfulness, self-esteem, physical conditioning, academic performance, and stress reduction.

Upper cervical and upper thoracic manipulation versus mobilization and exercise in patients with cervicogenic headache: a multi-center randomized clinical trial.

Background: Although commonly utilized interventions, no studies have directly compared the effectiveness of cervical and thoracic manipulation to mobilization and exercise in individuals with cervicogenic headache (CH). The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of manipulation to mobilization and exercise in individuals with CH.

Methods: One hundred and ten participants (n = 110) with CH were randomized to receive both cervical and thoracic manipulation (n = 58) or mobilization and exercise (n = 52).

Yoga and Emotion Regulation in High School Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Middle adolescents (15-17 years old) are prone to increased risk taking and emotional instability. Emotion dysregulation contributes to a variety of psychosocial difficulties in this population. A discipline such as yoga offered during school may increase emotion regulation, but research in this area is lacking.

A Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing the Impact of Yoga and Physical Education on the Emotional and Behavioural Functioning of Middle School Children.

Background: Yoga programs geared for school children have become more widespread, but research regarding its impact on children is lacking. Several studies have reported positive outcomes, though there is a need for more randomised controlled trials.

Objectives: To determine the effects of yoga on children's emotional and behavioural functioning when compared with physical education (PE) classes.

Comparison of landing biomechanics between male and female dancers and athletes, part 2: Influence of fatigue and implications for anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Background: Fatigue is strongly linked to an increased risk of injuries, including anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures. Part 1 of this study identified differences in the biomechanics of landing from a jump between dancers and team athletes, particularly female athletes, which may explain the epidemiological differences in ACL injuries between dancers and team athletes and the lack of a sex disparity within dancers. However, it is not known if these biomechanical variables change differently between team athletes and dancers in the face of fatigue.

Comparison of landing biomechanics between male and female dancers and athletes, part 1: Influence of sex on risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Background: The incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries among dancers is much lower than among team sport athletes, and no clear disparity between sexes has been reported in the dance population. Although numerous studies have observed differences in landing biomechanics of the lower extremity between male and female team sport athletes, there is currently little research examining the landing biomechanics of male and female dancers and none comparing athletes to dancers. Comparing the landing biomechanics within these populations may help explain the lower overall ACL injury rates and lack of sex disparity.

A randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of yoga with an active control on ambulatory blood pressure in individuals with prehypertension and stage 1 hypertension.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of yoga with an active control (nonaerobic exercise) in individuals with prehypertension and stage 1 hypertension. A randomized clinical trial was performed using two arms: (1) yoga and (2) active control. Primary outcomes were 24-hour day and night ambulatory systolic and diastolic blood pressures.

Iontophoresis successfully delivers dexamethasone sodium phosphate to dermis as measured by microdialysis.

Despite its widespread and long term use, the effectiveness of iontophoresis to increase the delivery of dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DSP) remains controversial. The goal of this study was to quantitatively compare the DSP concentrations in dermis' dialysates in two delivery scenarios: with and without iontophoresis. Interstitial fluid concentrations were measured by cutaneous microdialysis.

Breath control during a tiptoe task.

Examination of naturally occurring respiration during postural challenges may increase our understanding of the factors linking respiration to lumbar segmental control. This study determined if the timing and magnitude of inhaled volume changes were related to mechanical events that challenge spinal stability during a tiptoe task. Thirty healthy individuals (15 male) had airflow recorded while they completed a tiptoe task which involved: moving onto tiptoe while reaching toward a hanging target (ascent); grasping and holding the target while maintaining the tiptoe position for 3 s (hold); and then returning to the start position (descent).

Effectiveness of yoga for hypertension: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives. To systematically review and meta-analyze the effectiveness of yoga for reducing blood pressure in adults with hypertension and to assess the modifying influences of type and length of yoga intervention and type of comparison group. Methods.

A randomized controlled trial on the effects of yoga on stress reactivity in 6th grade students.

There is an increasing interest in developing school programs that improve the ability of children to cope with psychosocial stress. Yoga may be an appropriate intervention as it has demonstrated improvements in the ability of children to manage psychosocial stress. Yoga is thought to improve the control of reactivity to stress via the regulation of the autonomic nervous system.

Short-term combined effects of thoracic spine thrust manipulation and cervical spine nonthrust manipulation in individuals with mechanical neck pain: a randomized clinical trial.

Study Design: Randomized clinical trial.

Objective: To investigate the short-term effects of thoracic spine thrust manipulation combined with cervical spine nonthrust manipulation (experimental group) versus cervical spine nonthrust manipulation alone (comparison group) in individuals with mechanical neck pain.

Background: Research has demonstrated improved outcomes with both nonthrust manipulation directed at the cervical spine and thrust manipulation directed at the thoracic spine in patients with neck pain.

The effects of floor incline on lower extremity biomechanics during unilateral landing from a jump in dancers.

Retrospective studies have suggested that dancers performing on inclined ("raked") stages have increased injury risk. One study suggests that biomechanical differences exist between flat and inclined surfaces during bilateral landings; however, no studies have examined whether such differences exist during unilateral landings. In addition, little is known regarding potential gender differences in landing mechanics of dancers.

The effects of low back pain on natural breath control during a lowering task.

Preventative and rehabilitative efforts relative to low back pain (LBP) and manual material handling (MMH) are often directed toward proper technique. However, breath control may be an additional factor to consider. Optimizing breath control may provide increased segmental control of the spine through the production of increased intra-abdominal pressure.

Assessing and Reporting Dancer Capacities, Risk Factors, and Injuries: Recommendations from the IADMS Standard Measures Consensus Initiative.

This technical report of the Standard Measures Consensus Initiative of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS) describes the results of the committee’s multi-year effort to synthesize information regarding the tests and measures used in dance-related research, protocols for reporting injuries, and appropriate use of available technologies to aid in standardizing such matters. Specific recommendations are presented, with accompanying rationales, to facilitate consensus among members of the dance medicine and science community. An Executive Summary of this Technical Report, which contains implementation strategies and appendices, should soon be available on the IADMS website.

The use of stabilization exercises and movement reeducation to manage pain and improve function in a dancer with focal degenerative joint disease of the spine.

Little has been written about rehabilitation of low back pain (LBP) specific to the professional dancer. However, there is a rapidly increasing amount of rehabilitation research related to the care of LBP in the general population that may be applied to the dancer population. The purpose of this case report is to describe the physical therapy management of a 37-year-old female professional dancer with a 5-year history of spinal pain and loss of function in the presence of degenerative joint disease at a single segment (T12-L1).

Time to stability differences between male and female dancers after landing from a jump on flat and inclined floors.

Objective: To determine the effect of gender and inclined floor on time to stability (TTS) after landing from a vertical jump.

Design: This study used a repeated measures design with male and female professional dancers landing on a flat and 4 inclined floors. A repeated measures univariate analysis of variance (gender × floor) was performed on TTS in the anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions.

Individuals with low back pain breathe differently than healthy individuals during a lifting task.

Study Design: Case control, repeated-measures, experimental laboratory study.

Objective: To determine if, during a whole-body lifting task, individuals with low back pain (LBP) breathe differently than age-matched controls.

Background: Breath control may be optimized to provide increased intersegmental control of the lumbar spine through the generation of intra-abdominal pressure.

A comparison of energy expenditure estimates from the Actiheart and Actical physical activity monitors during low intensity activities, walking, and jogging.

Combining accelerometry with heart rate monitoring has been suggested to improve energy estimates, however, it remains unclear whether the single, currently existing commercially available device combining these data streams (Actiheart) provides improved energy estimates compared to simpler and less expensive accelerometry-only devices. The purpose of this study was to compare the validity of the heart rate (HR), accelerometry (ACC), and combined ACC/HR estimates of the Actiheart to the ACC estimates of the Actical during low and moderate intensity activities. Twenty-seven participants (mean age 26.

Breath control during manual free-style lifting of a maximally tolerated load.

Clear evidence links voluntary breath control, intra-abdominal pressure and lumbar stability. However, little is known regarding optimal breath control during manual materials handling. No studies have examined natural breath control while lifting a maximal load.

Comparison of landing biomechanics between male and female professional dancers.

Background: The incidence of anterior cruciate ligament injuries among dancers is much lower than that among team sport athletes and no clear gender disparity has been reported in the dance population. Although numerous studies have observed differences in lower extremity landing biomechanics between male and female athletes, there is currently little research examining the landing biomechanics of male and female dancers. Comparing landing biomechanics within this population may help explain the lower overall anterior cruciate ligament injury rates and the lack of gender disparity.