Dance Anatomy & Kinesiology

128 Dance Anatomy and Kinesiology

approach such as initially using a smaller range of

motion, avoiding rotation, and not using dumbbells.

Three other controversial considerations for injury

risk include the use of long-lying positions, flexed

versus neutral lumbar spine, and long lever arms.

Long-Lying Position Some exercises in modern

and jazz dance floor work, as well as Pilates (e.g.,

roll-up), involve abdominal work performed supine

with the knees straight versus bent—termed the long-

lying position. Dancers who have tight hip flexors or

marked lumbar lordosis may not be able to assume a

long-lying position without excessive arching of the

low back and anterior tilting of the pelvis, or at least

will be unable to effect the desired posterior pelvic

tilt prior to the curl-up or the necessary flattening

of the lumbar curve during the curl-up. Bending the

knees causes flexion at the hip that slackens the hip

flexors and iliofemoral ligament and decreases the

lumbar curve. Hence, dancers with these conditions

should perform abdominal work with the knees at

least slightly bent until adequate hip and low back

flexibility is achieved.

Flexed Versus Neutral Lumbar Spine Flexion of

the lumbar spine is associated with an increase in

disc pressure. Hence, maintaining the curve in the

lumbar spine (neutral spine) is often recommended

for patients with disc injury. Due to the associated

increase in disc pressure and the desire to dance

with a neutral versus tucked position, some exercise

specialists also advocate using a neutral versus tucked

position during abdominal work in general. How-

ever, since the elevation in disc pressure is much less

than that occurring with rigorous dance movements,

and since lumbar flexion is a natural movement of

the spine that accompanies many daily activities

such as leaning forward, the approach generally

used by the author for dancers without back pain is

to incorporate a slight posterior tilt (with associated

lumbar flexion) for greater overload and greater low

abdominal activation, as well as to help dancers gain

better control of tilting the pelvis, when exercises are

being performed for abdominal strength—and gen-

erally a neutral position for stabilization exercises.

However, there is theoretical support and there are

advantages to both approaches.

Long Lever Arms Exercises in which the legs pro-

vide the resistance, such as those in which both legs

are raised and lowered while one is lying on the back

or supported on the forearms, can produce strain

and arching of the low back if inadequate abdomi-

nal strength is present as seen in figure 3.43A. Such

exercises have regained popularity in recent years

because of their inclusion in Pilates mat work and

apparatus work. However, it is important to realize

that the prime mover for such exercises is actually

the hip flexors, while the abdominal muscles act

as stabilizers to prevent undesired anterior tilting

of the pelvis and further extension in the lumbar

spine. Given that several studies have shown these

exercises to be relatively low in effectiveness for

abdominal strengthening (Flint and Gudgell, 1965;

Guimaraes et al., 1991; Lipetz and Gutin, 1970) and

that they are considered contraindicated for indi-

viduals with weak abdominal muscles (Hamill and

Knutzen, 1995), these exercises are better viewed as

stabilization exercises that should be used only with

appropriate individuals, and they often require modi-

fication and a gradual progression. For example,

in contrast to many other stabilization exercises in

TABLE 3.3 Summary Guidelines for Effective Abdominal Strengthening

Form Adequate overload/progression Format

Pull abdominal wall inward Increase range of motion Perform 6-12 repetitions of each

exercise (1 set)

Generally utilize a posterior pelvic

tilt and pull the front of the lower rib

cage down and back

Bring arms further overhead Perform 3-5 sets (generally perform

1 set each of different abdominal

exercises)

Emphasize rounding whole spine

and softening chest

Bring feet closer to buttocks Use variations of sufficient difficulty

that muscle failure is approached

but correct form is maintained

Use adequate range of motion Add spinal rotation or lateral flexion Allow 2-3 minutes recovery between

sets of abdominal exercises

Keep feet unrestrained Add dumbbells in the hands

Perform slowly with control