Postural analysis in female Bharatanatyam dancers: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Gaining proficiency in Bharatanatyam dance form necessitates maintenance of different postures for prolonged duration. These repetitive movements place tremendous physical demands on the body at young age and may alter the postural profile of the dancer. The study aimed to evaluate the differences in terms of posture between female Bharatanatyam dancers and age-matched non-dancers. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 40 female Bharatanatyam dancers and 40 age-matched female non-dancers in the age group of 18 to 30 years. Analysis of erect standing posture of dancers and non-dancers was conducted in a reserved environment using a photogrammetric method. Static photographs of the subjects were taken in the sagittal plane. The measurement of the angles of the digitized photographs was performed using KINOVEA 0.8.15 software. Head protrusion angle, cervical lordosis angle, thoracic kyphosis angle, lumbar lordosis angle, and pelvic tilt angle were evaluated. There was no significant difference between the dancers and non-dancers with respect to head protrusion angle (p = 0.081), cervical lordosis (p = 0.15), and thoracic kyphosis (p = 0.33). Significant differences were identified between the dancers and non-dancers for lumbar lordosis (p = 0.00) and pelvic tilt (p = 0.00) using independent t test with dancers. Higher values of lumbar lordosis and pelvic tilt were observed in dancers. Increased lumbar lordosis and anterior pelvic tilt were observed in Bharatanatyam dancers as compared to non-dancers. Hence, it is vital to establish preventive measures like postural re-education, muscular balance, and flexibility to prevent erroneous postural patterns capable of causing pain and injuries.