A kinematic approach to calculating ground reaction forces in dance.

A technique that can be used with dancers for the calculation of ground reaction forces in the absence of force plates is described. The ground reaction forces are required for analyzing potentially injurious activity within the dancer's body. However, the use of a force plate for this purpose disrupts the performance surface and could, due to its stiffness, in itself lead to injury. This technical report provides an indication that a technique utilizing kinematic calculations of ground reaction forces in dancers offers a viable alternative. The kinematic calculations technique is suitable for use across large performance surfaces, including sprung floors. In this preliminary study, it is validated against force plate output using data from a single dancer and is extended to consider tuning of the generic mass distribution model to improve accuracy in the calculation of ground reaction forces.