Musculoskeletal characteristics of the lower limbs of students at a vocational ballet institution – retrospective analysis of cross-sectional data

The typical vocational ballet student of our study showed a large ROM for hip ER, ankle PF and MTP joint DF of the big toe. Students were more flexible than examinees of previous studies and often achieved ballet-specific ideal values. Hence, it is very likely that a ballet-specific selection favours the generally large ROMs found in the present study. The data collected over the long period of twenty years can be seen as a limitation of the present study, as students selected at the beginning of that period might be very different to selected students at the end it. Furthermore, this study measured passive joint range of motion only.