FUNCTIONAL BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF THE PILATES-BASED REFORMER DURING DEMI-PLIE MOVEMENTS

The Pilates-based reformer is used by dancers for training and for inj ury rehabilitation. Knee kinematics and applied forces during demi-pli e in fifth and in first positions were analyzed while dancers performe d the motions (a) standing, (b) on the reformer equipped with two spri ngs, and (c) on the reformer equipped with four springs. The highest f orces, normalized to body weight, were obtained for the standing demip lie, while the largest knee flexion angles occurred on the reformer wi th four springs. Greater range of motion was achieved in first positio n than in fifth, and females exhibited greater extension and higher no rmalized forces than males. It was also noted that force/knee angle re lationships for the standing demi-plie and for the reformer tests were quite different. Reformer forces were totally dependent on the knee a ngle, whereas the forces during the standing demi-plie depended on the acceleration of the dancer's center of gravity.