Shear Wave Tensiometry in Ballet Dancers: Creating Care-Based Practices and Pedagogies Through Innovations and Collaborations in Ballet Education
Abstract:
Ballet dancers train in extreme ranges of motion without periodization, placing intense and chronic stress on the Achilles tendon. It is generally accepted that such excessive stress is a major contributor to Achilles tendinopathy, even while the tendon stress during common dance movements remains unknown. Shear wave tensiometry is a promising technology that non-invasively measures tendon stress, but its application has been limited to treadmill studies. Working with a team of researchers from various disciplines, we have developed new technological advances to measure Achilles stress in ballet dancers. In vivo measurements of Achilles tendon stress typically require surgically implanted probes or complicated biomechanical models. We have made wearable shear wave tensiometers portable and robust for dancers’ extended range of motion to determine quantitative stresses associated with ballet vocabulary. Using this wearable technology, we can identify which dance movements generate the greatest tendon stresses and discuss implications for ballet curricula to advance ballet education. We have also developed a ballet-specific questionnaire that can better characterize and provide insight into the severity of Achilles tendinopathy than the VISA-A. Effectiveness of the new questionnaire is determined by correlating both surveys’ results with visually apparent damage to the tendon, as seen in musculoskeletal imaging (US) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Our long-term goal is to establish a firm scientific foundation to connect a community of clinicians, athletic trainers, educators, and dancers who can converge to advocate for care-based practices and pedagogies for all by building safe and inviting environments that protect dancers from injury.