Exploring the Effects of a Plyometric Warmup on GRF
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Authors
Elise Volz
Mara Tiernan
Issue Date
2026
Type
Language
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
Ground reaction force (GRF) is a biomechanical variable describing force exerted by the ground onto the body in contact with it. This force increases in activities where a body impacts the ground with greater force, such as running or jumping. GRF plays a pivotal role in the thousands of forces dancers feel daily; therefore, its impact on their bodies is crucial to understanding the implications of injury in this population. Past literature shows improvements in GRF following various types of warm-up protocols. A study in netballers demonstrated reduced forces following a neuromuscular warm-up. A different study improved GRF in athletes with chronic ankle instability using a hop-stabilization warm-up. Research has also shown improvements after gluteal activation exercises and countermovement jumping, but there is a lack of information on dancers and a wide range of warm-up protocols. The purpose of this study is to assess whether a plyometric warm-up, known to enhance performance in athletes, affects the GRF of a vertical jump, center of pressure, subjective analysis of jump difficulty, and jump height amongst dancers. To do this, we will recruit 20 participants. After obtaining participants' demographic information, they will be randomized into two groups: group one will perform the tests without the plyometric warm-up on day one, and then test after the warm-up on day two; group two will do the opposite. For data collection, participants will perform a vertical jump on a GRF plate three times with a 30-second rest in between. Average reaction force, center of pressure, jump height, and self-reported difficulty will be compared with and without intervention. The study is currently in progress, but we anticipate that a plyometric warm-up will decrease vertical GRF during landing of a vertical jump and increase vertical GRF during take off of a vertical jump, and will decrease the subjective jump difficulty, increase jump height, and result in a more ideal center of pressure.