Isokinetic ankle eversion and inversion strength profiling of female ballet dancers

Ankle injuries are highly prevalent in ballet, with strength highlighted as a primary risk factor. To profile ankle strength, fourteen female ballet dancers (age: 19.29 ± 1.59 years) completed an isokinetic testing protocol comprising concentric eversion (CONEV) and inversion (CONINV), and, eccentric inversion (ECCINV) trials at four angular velocities (30° · s−1, 60° · s−1, 90° · s−1, 120° · s−1) for both the dominant and non-dominant limb. In addition to Peak Torque (PT) and the corresponding Dynamic Control Ratios (DCRs), angle-specific derivatives of strength (AST) and Functional Range (FR) were calculated. There was no evidence of any significant bilateral strength asymmetry (p = 0.90) across all metrics, and no significant interactions with limb and contraction mode or velocity. A significant main effect for contraction mode (p = 0.001) highlighted greater ECCINV strength – which was maintained with increasing isokinetic velocity – in contrast to reductions in CONEV and CONINV strength. Specifically, dancers are ECCINV dominant at angular velocities greater than 60° · s−1, which is likely to be characteristic of most functional tasks. The lack of bilateral asymmetry may be attributed to dance training interventions that facilitate bilateral development, but ipsilateral mode and velocity-specific asymmetries have implications for injury risk and the training needs of female ballet dancers