The hip is an important joint for dancers, providing a steadiness of mobility, stability and power. It’s a ball-and-socket joint the place the femur (thigh bone) meets the acetabulum (socket) of the pelvis. This design permits for a variety of movement, essential for extensions, splits and jumps. The joint is supported by ligaments, tendons, and plenty of muscle groups such because the hip flexors, glutes and rotators, all of which have to work collectively to take care of power and management. The shut relationship with the pelvis signifies that these two areas strongly affect one another.
Dancers place vital stress on their hips by means of repetitive actions, frequent twisting, however primarily with excessive ranges of movement. Typical accidents for the hip space are labral tears, tendinopathies, impingements and muscle tears/strains.
With a constant regime of self-assessment and particular coaching, nevertheless, you’ll be able to decrease the danger of damage to your hips and hold kicking and leaping into the sundown!
Our strategy of Align – Transfer – Load addresses centering of the joint and practical vary, genuine motion patterns and method, after which including load to the coaching to enhance power. If you look into coaching any space of the physique it’s possible you’ll need to contemplate the method under. There are a few video examples for you.
Perceive the realm.
The start line is to grasp the anatomy of the hips and your pure turnout vary. This video highlights the bones and muscle groups of the hip and pelvis:
Self-assessment
How they transfer, vary, rigidity and really feel for any distinction between the suitable and left.
Create house and launch.
Launch tight areas which may be stopping full vary and the opposite muscle groups/fascia that join into this space. Mobilize into all instructions. (balls, foam curler, mobilizers, eccentric management)
Prepare stability.
Give attention to the smaller muscle groups across the hip that management the joint by means of vary; this wants extra endurance fashion work. Take a look at management for psoas, iliacus and QF.
Prepare power.
Strengthen the hip in regular operate and full vary (squat, lunge, hinge). This video reveals a single leg squat – needed for any decrease limb coaching plan.
Be particular.
This the place we prepare specifics for dance – turnout, leg elevations, splits, kick energy. This video reveals one sort of turnout coaching with the hip at 90.
At half a century, I’m nonetheless dancing and absolutely energetic regardless of a horrible wanting hip MRI!
Please bear in mind, though we’re speaking about hips, the physique is absolutely interconnected and all joints discuss and have an effect on all different joints of the physique. Your sore or ‘locked’ hip could also be a results of a foot, thorax or shoulder that doesn’t transfer correctly!
By Sally Harrison, BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy, Corrective Train Coach, Private Coach, Pilates Educator, of Band-ITS & Strength4Dance.