Aims: In classical ballet, dancers may wear flat shoes and pointe shoes. To consider the kinematic changes between flat shoes and pointe shoes to prevent injuries, it is essential to focus on the fundamental ballet movement of standing on pointe. This study aimed to clarify the differences in the center of pressure (COP) displacement and lower limb muscle activity during the descending phase of a relevé when wearing pointe shoes versus flat shoes.
Methods: Ten amateur ballet dancers volunteered for this study and performed a reléve wearing flat shoes and pointe shoes. We measured the COP displacement by using a footplate and electromyographies of the tibialis anterior, soleus, lateral gastrocnemius, and peroneus longus muscles during the relevé descending phase. These data were compared using a paired t-test or Wilcoxon signed-rank sum test.
Results: The COP significantly shifted to the lateral side when dancers were wearing pointe shoes compared to wearing flat shoes (p<0.05). The muscle activity of the tibialis anterior and soleus muscles was significantly higher by 5.7% and 5.3%, respectively, when ballet dancers were wearing pointe shoes compared to flat shoes (p<0.05). However, there were no differences in both lateral gastrocnemius and peroneus longus.
Conclusion: Greater muscle activities in the tibialis anterior and soleus muscles when wearing pointe shoes than when wearing flat shoes were associated with a larger lateral displacement of the COP. To control the COP displacement during the descending phase of a relevé, the muscle activity of the peroneus longus, which is antagonist of tibialis anterior muscle, and soleus muscles should be increased.