Aline Nogueira Haas

Imagem corporal e bailarinas profissionais

Body image is an issue that is always in evidence when addressing different types of dance. The search for the ideal body image among dancers goes beyond the parameters of the general population and, as they become professionals, the need to maintain the appropriate weight increases. This study aims to verify the level of satisfaction of classical ballet dancers and jazz dancers with their body image, identifying differences and similarities between the two groups. Furthermore, similarities and differences in the level of satisfaction with body image of classical dancers of different countries will be identified. This is a descriptive research. The sample was composed of 15 professional adult ballet dancers and 16 jazz dancers from Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, and nine professional adult dancers working in New York, United States. The instrument used to assess the level of satisfaction with body image was the Body Shape Questionnaire - BSQ, which measures the degree of concern with the body shape, self-depreciation due to physical appearance and the feeling of being overweight. Data were analyzed with the statistical program SPSS 15.0. Chi-square test and ANOVA test were applied for data comparison and p < 0.05 values were considered significant. The findings show that the dancers, regardless of their modality of choice, present levels of dissatisfaction and distortion of their body image. There were no statistically significant differences (p = 0.96) in the three groups evaluated. In conclusion, studies about body image in risk groups are important for the identification of serious disturbs in concomitance with eating disorders, which bring deleterious consequences to the health of dancers.A imagem corporal e um tema que sempre esta em evidencia quando se aborda a danca em suas diferentes modalidades. A busca da imagem corporal ideal em bailarinas vai alem dos parâmetros da populacao em geral e, na medida em que elas se tornam profissionais, a necessidade de manter o peso adequado vai aumentando. Este estudo tem como objetivo verificar o nivel de satisfacao de bailarinas de bale classico e de danca jazz com sua imagem corporal, identificando as diferencas e semelhancas entre os dois grupos. Pretende-se ainda identificar semelhancas e diferencas no nivel de satisfacao com a imagem corporal de bailarinas classicas de paises diferentes. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de campo descritiva. A amostra foi composta por 15 bailarinas adultas profissionais de bale classico e 16 bailarinas de danca jazz de Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil, e por nove bailarinas adultas profissionais radicadas em Nova Iorque, Estados Unidos. O instrumento utilizado para avaliar o nivel de satisfacao com a imagem corporal foi o Questionario de Imagem Corporal - BSQ, que mede o grau de preocupacao com a forma do corpo, a autodepreciacao devido a aparencia fisica e a sensacao de estar gordo. Os dados foram analisados com auxilio do programa estatistico SPSS 15.0. Para a comparacao dos dados foram aplicados os testes Qui-quadrado e Anova, sendo considerados significativos valores de p < 0,05. Os resultados encontrados mostram que as bailarinas, independente de sua modalidade de escolha, apresentam niveis de insatisfacao e distorcao de sua imagem corporal. Nao houve diferencas estatisticamente significativas (p = 0,96) entre os tres grupos avaliados. Destaca-se, em conclusao, a importância de estudos sobre imagem corporal em grupos considerados de risco, visando a identificacao de disturbios graves em concomitância com transtornos do comportamento alimentar, que trazem consequencias nocivas para a saude de bailarinas.

Analysis of activities in the daily lives of older adults exposed to the Pilates Method

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to analyse the Pilates Method (PM) to assess whether it can help to improve the performance of activities that older adults undertake in their daily lives. METHOD this is a pre-post experimental study with a convenience sample consisting of 22 women, aged from 65 to 74 years. Data collection was divided into three stages: 1) the Battery Test of Daily Life Activities for Physically Independent Elderly (BTDLAPIE); 2) 12 weeks of Pilates training, with 50-minute sessions twice a week; 3) Repetition of all BTDLAPIE tests. We used the Student t test for paired samples and the level of significance was considered to be ≤0.05. CONCLUSION After the study group had been exposed to 12 weeks of training with the PM, it took them less time to perform the activities of their daily lives. However, we suggest that other controlled studies are needed in order to understand these outcomes more fully.

The Effects of Pilates on the Elderly: An Integrative Review

Introduction: Pilates is considered a form of exercise that aims to improve flexibility, resistance, strength, balance and coordination. As a result, many elderly people have tried the method seeking to improve or maintain their health. Objective: The present study aimed to review the effects of Pilates on the elderly. Methods: An integrative review was carried out that studied elderly persons undergoing an intervention based on the Pilates method, combined or not with other techniques. The guiding question considered existing studies in literature that evaluated the effects of Pilates on the elderly. Searches of the MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) electronic databases were conducted in May 2014. Results: Of a total of 445 studies found, 17 articles were included. Several variables were analyzed, with balance and the risk of falling described most frequently. Conclusions: The most studied variables were balance and the risk of falling and there was consensus among the studies regarding the improvement that Pilates caused in these variables. There was also agreement about increased flexibility, but controversy continues to surround the other effects reported in literature, or the data is isolated and therefore inconclusive. Among the studies found, most were experimental, and there were only two randomized controlled trials. The performance of more clinical trials featuring high quality methodological approaches addressing the theme is recommended, so that systematic reviews with meta-analysis may be performed, ensuring greater reliability of the results suggested in this study.

EMG Analysis of a Pilates Exercise

The Pilates method was originally developed by Joseph Pilates in Germany during the First World War and introduced in the United States in 1923 (Latey, 2001; Muscolino & Cipriani, 2004; Rydeard et al., 2006). The method assembles movements from gymnastics, martial arts, yoga and dance with philosophic ideas (Self et al., 1996; Latey, 2001; Rydeard et al., 2006). After the 1980’s, new elements were incorporated aiming to improve both physical conditioning and rehabilitation programs. When considering physical conditioning increases in joint flexibility, muscle strength, balance and whole body conditioning were observed in Pilates’ practitioners (Bertolla F, 2007; Jago et al., 2006; Segal et al., 2004). For rehabilitation, Pilates exercises have been used for joint function restoration, lumbar-pelvic stabilization, fibromyalgia control and low back pain treatment (Blum, 2002; Kolyniak et al., 2004; Donzelli et al., 2006). In order to achieve the program goals, the health professionals can choose between mat or apparatus exercises. The apparatus, such as the reformer or the Cadillac, were designed specifically for the Pilates method. These apparatus uses springs in order to generate external load for the musculoskeletal structure. In general, each spring presents a different elastic constant and has more than one attachment possibility in the different apparatus, reflecting in the external load (Self et al., 1996; Rydeard et al., 2006). Regardless of the objectives, it is recommended that the training program uses exercises with progressive external load, according to each individual’s needs. However, what have been observed is that the determination of external load in Pilates’ exercises is based on subjective information, such as changing a less resistance for a higher resistance spring, without realizing how high is the difference in each situation. When this is follower, intensity is only determined based on patient’s feedback and the instructor’s experience (Blum, 2002), what may affect negatively the Pilates training program success. Attentive to this situation, the Mechanics of Movement Investigation Group (BIOMEC Grupo de Investigacao em Mecânica do Movimento) has been using biomechanical analysis of human movement, in order to identify the resistance moments curve shape in a quantitative analysis of Pilates exercises (Silva et al., 2009; Loss et al., 2010; Melo et al., 2011). Thus, besides using load cells for measuring spring’s strength (Self et al., 1996), resistance moment may be estimated in different subjects positioning and spring setups (Silva et al., 2009).

Effects of dance practice on functional mobility, motor symptoms and quality of life in people with Parkinson’s disease: a systematic review with meta-analysis

BackgroundPatients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) undergo motor injuries, which decrease their quality of life (QL). Dance, added to drug therapy, can help treating these patientsAimsTo conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis with the aim to analyze the effects of dance classes in comparison to other interventions or to the absence of intervention, in randomized clinical trials (RCTs), on functional mobility, motor symptoms and QL of PD patientsMethodsThe search was conducted in MEDLINE, LILACS, SciELO, Cochrane and PsycINFO (last searched in August 2017). RCTs analyzing dance effects in comparison to other physical training types or to no intervention, on functional mobility, motor symptoms and QL of PD patients were selected. The outcomes assessed were motor symptoms with Unified PD Rating Scale III (UPDRSIII), functional mobility with Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), endurance with 6 min walking test (6MWT), freezing of gait with Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (FOG_Q), walking velocity with GAITRite and QL with PD Questionnaire (PDQ39). Two reviewers independently extracted methodological quality and studies data. Results are presented as weighted mean differences.ResultsFive RCTs were included, totaling 159 patients. Dance promoted significant improvements on UPDRSIII, and a decrease in TUG time when compared to other types of exercise. In comparison to the absence of intervention, dance practice also showed significant improvements in motor scores.ConclusionDance can improve motor parameters of the disease and patients’ functional mobility.

Electrical Activity of Powerhouse Muscles During the Teaser Exercise of Pilates Using Different Types of Apparatus

We compared the electrical activity of certain powerhouse muscles—External Oblique, Multifidus, Adductor Longus, and Gluteus Medius—during the teaser exercise of the Pilates Method, performed on various types of apparatus—the Mat, Reformer, and Wall Unit. Fifteen female practitioners of the Classic Pilates Method (32.6 ± 7.7 years old; 21.9 ± 1.9 body mass index) performed the teaser in each situation while electromyographic (EMG) and kinematic data were collected. Root mean square values of the flexion phase were compared. All muscles showed higher EMG activity in Reformer compared with Wall Unit, and Multifidus, Adductor Longus, and Gluteus Medius showed higher EMG activity in Mat compared with Wall Unit. No difference was found between Reformer and Mat.

A percepção do bailarino de dança contemporânea sobre "ser bailarino"

Este artigo apresenta consideracoes resultantes de uma investigacao de campo, descritiva e de cunho qualitativo, que tem como objetivos analisar a percepcao do bailarino de danca contemporânea com relacao a “ser bailarino” e identificar as implicacoes de “ser bailarino” na sociedade atual. Os sujeitos de pesquisa foram sete bailarinos que atuam profissionalmente na area da danca contemporânea na cidade de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul. Para a coleta de dados, foi utilizada uma entrevista individual semiestruturada com perguntas abertas, que foram gravadas e, posteriormente, transcritas com fidelidade, sem alteracoes dos vocabulos utilizados. Verificamos que a tendencia da sociedade atual e nao aceitar primeiramente a profissao de bailarino, tratando-se de um individuo do genero masculino, mas depois do reconhecimento dessa atividade, tanto sociedade, quanto familia e ciclo de amizades aprovam essa profissao e orgulham-se dos homens bailarinos. Os bailarinos entrevistados enfatizam o amor pela danca e pela sua profissao, na qual, apesar das dificuldades iniciais e dos preconceitos, sentem-se realizados profissionalmente.