Foot Pressure Mapping in Bharatanatyam Dancers and Age and Gender Matched Non-Dancers

Abstract

Background Bharatanatyam is a combination of several movements which comprise the rhythmic tapping of the feet by adapting different postures of the body. Feet act as primary part in this dance form because of their constant interaction with the ground. Identification and quantification of areas of high pressure can be done by foot pressure mapping which can diagnose the foot problems at an early stage. This study focused on foot pressure mapping in Bharatanatyam dancers and age and gender-matched non-dancers using Harris mat.Methods A total of 41 Bharatanatyam dancers and 41 age- and gender-matched non-dancers were recruited by convenience sampling for this observational study. A screening form was administered to document the details pertaining to Bharatanatyam dance among dancers. Following this the foot pressure of the subjects was recorded using a Harris mat. Later the pressure points in weight-bearing regions of the foot were analyzed and areas of pressure points among dancers and non-dancers were compared.Results Foot pressure at the right Hallux P0.04 left Hallux P0.00 and left hind foot P0.32 were found to be significantly higher among Bharatanatyam dancers compared to age and gender matched non-dancers.Conclusion An increase in the foot pressure was observed at the bilateral Hallux and left hind foot among Bharatanatyam dancers compared to age and gender matched non-dancers. Early intervention and treatment for targeted population should be adopted to avoid long-term complications.