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INTRODUCTION: The sport dance popularity is increasing and as in every other sport, specific physiological demands during training and competition may lead to overload and injuries. Female sport dancer’s most common injuries and pain are located in upper and lower back, hip, thigh, knee and foot (Wanke et al., 2014; Grcic, Miletic & Krstulovic, 2014). The dancers’ foot is at special risk of overload as a commonly reported effect of high-heel shoes, used in sport dance, is the increased load on forefoot (Hapsari, Xiong & Yang, 2014; Wiedemeijer & Otten, 2018; Gu, Rong & Ruan, 2011). The aim of this study was to compare the gait characteristics in two age groups (Junior I and II) of elite female sport dancers. METHODS: Eight school-age girls (dance category Junior I, mean age: 9.13 ± 1.13 years, body mass: 37.74 ± 5.27 kg, height: 142.44 ± 5.19 cm, foot size: 21.88 ± 1.13) and six pubescent girls (dance category Junior II, mean age: 13.00 ± 1.41 years, body mass: 49.48 ± 11.82 kg, height: 162.67 ± 8.56 cm, foot size: 23.92 ± 1.53) dancing at DSE European Children Grand Prix at Dance Open Brno 2019 participated in this study. Their gait was recorded during barefoot walking using the Emed-at (Novel GmbH, Germany), 0.5 x 1.45 m platform mounted in a 4.5 meter long path allowing free gait. Participants were asked to walk at normal speed and three trials of each participant’s left foot were used to obtain the maximal force normalized to body mass in ten regions of the foot (hindfoot, midfoot, first to fifth metatarsal (MH1-MH5), big toe, second toe and lesser toes), foot progression angle (FPA) and arch index. To analyze the differences between Junior I and Junior II groups in maximal force normalized to body mass, FPA and arch index, Cohen’s d was used. RESULTS: A small effect (0.20) was observed in arch index, a moderate effect (0.78) was observed in FPA comparing the Junior I and II female dancers. Maximal force normalized to body mass was greater at MH2 (0.69), MH3 (0.40), MH4 (0.91) and MH5 (0.68) in Junior II dancers. Junior I dancers were observed to have statistically greater maximal force normalized to body mass at hindfoot (0.65), midfoot (0.51), big toe (0.66) and second toe (0.25). DISCUSSION: The arch index and FPA were within the recommended range in both age groups of dancers. FPA was observed to be increased in the older age group. Statistically significant differences in maximal force normalized to body mass show a greater loading on the forefoot during the barefoot gait in Juniors II which may lead to the overload and foot pain, reported in previous studies focused on female sport dancers.
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