Ergonomic Risk Assessment of Professional Dance Using Motion Capture with Ergonomic Evaluation by the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA)

Q: What is the main purpose of this study on professional dance?

To assess physical demands during daily professional dance training using kinematic data, and to categorize ergonomic risk with the REBA tool.

Q: How were the dancers’ training phases recorded and analyzed?

Three phases of daily classical ballet training for 28 professional dancers were captured using an inertial motion capture system (MVN Link, Xsens) and analyzed with MATLAB to compute ergonomic risk.

Q: Why might phase 3 be associated with a higher injury likelihood despite lower REBA values?

Phase 3 tended to have lower REBA values but a higher likelihood of injury due to fatigue and ground reaction forces after movements such as jump landings.

Sep 30, 2026

Uploaded by Kurz

This study assesses physical demands in professional dance during daily training using kinematic data and ergonomic categorization via the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) tool. Three phases of classical ballet training (n=28 dancers) were recorded with an inertial motion capture system (MVN Link, Xsens) and analyzed in MATLAB to determine ergonomic risk. Female dancers spent significantly more time in high-risk range than males, with mean REBA scores of 6.31 and 6.03. Phase 3 showed lower REBA values but higher injury likelihood from fatigue and ground reaction forces, supporting critical training adjustment.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time55 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Ergonomic assessment tools and rationale

Inertial motion capture integration

Methods

Participants and training phases

Data acquisition and kinematic analysis

REBA risk determination

Results

High-risk duration by gender

Mean REBA scores across phases

Injury likelihood considerations

Discussion

Training adjustments and regeneration strategies

Targeted strength training recommendations

Article Ergonomic Risk Assessment of Professional Dance Using Motion Capture with Ergonomic Evaluation by the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) Verena Fehringer, Christian Maurer-Grubinger , Fabian Holzgreve , Daniela Ohlendorf and Eileen M. Wanke * Academic Editor: Giovanni Saggio Received: 26 October 2025 Revised: 7 December 2025 Accepted: 12 December 2025 Published: 22 December 2025 Copyright: © 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe University, Theodor-Stern Kai 7, Haus 9a, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; [verena.dickel@web.de](verena.dickel@web.de) (V.F.); [christian.maurer.cm@gmail.com](christian.maurer.cm@gmail.com) (C.M.-G.); [holzgreve@med.uni-frankfurt.de](holzgreve@med.uni-frankfurt.de) (F.H.); [ohlendorf@med.uni-frankfurt.de](ohlendorf@med.uni-frankfurt.de) (D.O.) * Correspondence: wanke@med.uni-frankfurt.de Abstract The aim of the present study was to assess physical demands in professional dance during daily training routine using kinematic data and to categorize it ergonomically using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) tool. The three phases of daily classical ballet training of n = 28 professional dancers (16f/12m) were recorded with the inertial motion capture system MVN Link (Xsens, Netherlands), extracted and analyzed by MATLAB; subsequently, the ergonomic risk was determined. Female dancers trained significantly longer in the high-risk range than their male colleagues (f: 94%; m: 89%; p < 0.001) . During the entire training, the female and male dancers had a mean REBA score of 6.31 and 6.03 resp., with phase 3 tending to have lower REBA values but an increased likelihood of injury due to fatigue and ground reaction forces. It can be recommended that the daily training should be critically examined and adjusted to anthropometric characteristics and the integration of regeneration phases, cardiopulmonary components, and targeted strength training programs to relieve vulnerable structures, as substantiated in the main text and should not exaggerate the main conclusions. Keywords: ergonomics; inertial motion capture; kinematic analysis; musculoskeletal disorders; risk assessment; professional dance 1. Introduction Professional dance in the 21st century is associated with very high strain on themusculoskeletal system. Despite the fact that professional dance belongs to the field of performing arts, dancers in this context are investigated as employed workers who have very few work tools at their disposal—their work tool is their own body. The basis for practising the profession of a professional dancer is an appropriate specific technique. The significance of dance as an art form is therefore secondary in the context of this study. Vocational ballet training begins predominantly in the prepubertal years and continues throughout the entire course of active professional practice [1,2] . The daily classical training forms the basis for rehearsals and performances. The training follows a traditional, characteristic methodological and didactic structure [3] . On the one hand, this serves to maintain and further develop dance technique and, on the other, is intended to prevent injuries and prepare for subsequent activities such as rehearsals and performances. In cardiopulmonary terms, the interval-style training is structured primarily at the end of barre training and, in the final, jump-focussed phase, in the submaximal intensity range with lactate values in the anaerobic intensity range [3] . Elements of movement that can cause musculoskeletal complaints and disorders, such as a high static component, rotational movements, repetitive movements, carrying and lifting heavy loads and adopting end-degree joint positions, high force e

FAQs

What is the main purpose of this study on professional dance?

To assess physical demands during daily professional dance training using kinematic data, and to categorize ergonomic risk with the REBA tool.

How were the dancers’ training phases recorded and analyzed?

Three phases of daily classical ballet training for 28 professional dancers were captured using an inertial motion capture system (MVN Link, Xsens) and analyzed with MATLAB to compute ergonomic risk.

What differences were found between female and male dancers in high-risk range?

Female dancers trained significantly longer in the high-risk range than male colleagues, with reported proportions of 94% versus 89% (p < 0.001).

Why might phase 3 be associated with a higher injury likelihood despite lower REBA values?

Phase 3 tended to have lower REBA values but a higher likelihood of injury due to fatigue and ground reaction forces after movements such as jump landings.

Sep 30, 2026

Uploaded by Kurz