Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Background: Pole dancing is a physically demanding sport that combines dance and acrobatic movements on a vertical pole. Despite its highly growing popularity, there is currently limited research in the field. The aim of this study was to create and evaluate a strength assessment protocol for athletes in pole dancing, with a specific focus on functional positions on the pole.
Methods: Thirty-two female pole dancing athletes participated in this study. Maximal voluntary isometric contractions MVIC were measured at three different sport-specific positions on the pole shoulder abduction and adduction, and hip adduction , on two separate days test and re-test with a five to seven day interval between them. A hand-held dynamometer Activ5- Activbody stabilized on the pole was used for this study.
Conclusion: The strength assessment protocol developed in the current study has proven to be a reliable and functional tool, with the potential for utilization in clinical practice as part of objective strength testing. Further studies are needed in order to expand the protocol to other muscle groups and positions and to generalize the results in all pole dancing populations such as male athletes.
The sport of pole dancing PD has undergone significant growth and popularity, particularly among amateur athletes, in recent years. With the assistance of organizations such as the International Pole Sports Federation IPSF , PD has now evolved into an international sport with rigorous training regimens, complex scoring systems, and international championships [ 1 ].
It is a very demanding sport that combines acrobatic gymnastics and dance on and around the pole whereas it is considered to have developed from a combination of Western and Eastern practices, the latter originating from the Chinese and Indian traditions [ 1 , 2 ]. Despite the rapid growth of PD and the substantial number of individuals participating in it professionally or recreationally, there remains a limited amount of available research on PD, primarily in recent years [ 1 , 3 , 4 ].
