injuries

Ah, the familiar sound of a snapping hip. Most dancers have experienced it at one time or another. Lauren takes us on a tour of the hip and what causes this popping sound, discusses the varieties of snapping hip, and lets you in on a ‘little secret’ that helped her get rid of the snap, crackle, and pop.

Dr. Craig Westin is an orthopedic surgeon for the Chicago Center for Orthopedics at Weiss Memorial Hospital and medical director of Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet. He has worked extensively with dancers, skiiers, and is a team physician with the U.S. Figure Skating Team. Dr. Westin generously took time out of his busy schedule to talk with Dance Advantage about knee problems, proper alignment, pain, and injuries common to dancers.

If you are a family that has welcomed dance into your household and your hearts, you may have questions and concerns about the welfare, health, and happiness of your child as they pursue their training. Download this free e-book for parents from a trusted source for quality information.

two women from opposite sides of the world who have a similar vision and purpose- that is to educate dancers and teachers, arming them with information to improve the quality of health and understanding of the body in dance education and practice.

Too much tension in the musculature around the hip joint is often responsible for limiting the degree of turnout. Therefore, releasing that tension is key if you’d like to improve outward (and inward) rotation. Tight inward rotators inhibit outward rotation and visa versa. Dancers have varying methods which they use to accomplish release in the hips. Some use passive and lengthening stretches and others utilize props like balls to facilitate an opening within the joint.

Although we sometime use the word turnout as a noun or a position (i.e. “Your turnout could be better.”), it is more appropriately thought of as an action, a verb. Because outward rotation is not the body’s natural state, the work does not stop once the position or desired degree of rotation has been attained. Instead, outward rotation of the hips requires continual action within the body, even when the rotation is held in a position (like ballet 5th).