Spectral analysis of adult dancers' sways: sex and interaction vision-proprioception.

In subjects of both sexes with or without dance training, dependence on vision and proprioception for postural control was studied by destabilizing these cues on a free seesaw. Fast Fourier transform processing allowed spectral frequency analysis of the platform sways recorded by an accelerometer. Two frequency bands of the total spectral energy were used: the lower (0 - 2 Hz) and the higher (2 - 20 Hz) frequency bands. Dancers were significantly less dependent on vision but use more proprioception than untrained subjects. Professional dance training appears to shift sensorimotor dominance from vision to proprioception, and this evolution seems more marked for males than females. Female and male dancers had similar dynamic performances, but for males, the better neuromuscular coordination may be associated with biomechanical factors.