Long-term dance trainings alter gait; mechanical work and joint kinematics

Background: Dancers undergo extensive training, resulting in enhanced lower extremity muscle function, flexibility, and stability compared to the general population. However, research on joint loading mechanisms in professional dancers during walking is limited. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the gait characteristics of professional dancers and compare them with non-dancers from a biomechanical perspective. Methods: A comparative gait analysis was performed on 30 dancers (10 each of modern, ballet, and Korean dance) and 10 non-dancers. The study assessed peak joint moment, peak joint power, and joint work at the knee and ankle joints while walking on a flat surface. Results: Ballet group showed longer step cycles (1.30 ± 0.06 s), whereas modern group had shorter cycles (1.11 ± 0.07 s) but higher walking speeds (1.07 ± 0.04 s). Ballet group also had a longer stance phase (64.53% ± 3.46%), while Korean (41.53% ± 4.66%) and modern (41.93% ± 2.95%) groups had larger swing phases. Modern group displayed significantly higher negative ankle joint work (−0.059 ± 0.022 J/kg), ballet (1.49 ± 0.11 Nm/kg) and Korean group (1.53 ± 0.41 Nm/kg) showed higher peak knee joint moments compared to normal group. Conclusion: These findings highlight the distinct gait patterns of dancers, with ballet and Korean dancers showing greater knee joint loading and modern dancers exhibiting unique ankle joint dynamics. Tailored rehabilitation and injury prevention strategies are crucial for their long-term health and performance sustainability.