The Overlooked Hip Motion Holding Dancers Back

Most dancers are hypermobile in directions they use all the time-turnouts, extensions and backbending. A dancers training regiment challenges the body in ways that are specialized, and often different from other athletes. However, as in any dedicated sport, the body will uniquely adapt to its demands, developing a fine balance between flexibility, mobility and strength, which is ultimately the driving force behind human athletic performance. The body adapts to what you do daily, and targeting the appropriate muscle groups, and synchronizing complex movement patterns is essential in a save movement development.

One of the most underrated motion is Internal Rotation.

Internal Rotation is an anatomical movement where the limb or joint moves towards the midline of the body. This movement patterns also occurs in other areas of the body, including the glenohumeral joint of the shoulder, the hip and the knee. In this article we will focus on the importance of hip internal rotation and how it provides a foundation for appropriate and safe arthrokinematics, and joint protection, and injury reduction.

Mechanic of Internal Rotation

The normal hip internal rotation typically ranges from 30-45 degrees. As a young dancer grows, they may actually experience a decrease in hip internal rotation through soft tissue and body restructuring over time. These changes are due to increase demands of the hip's posterior capsule. Dancers need adequate hip internal rotation that allows the femoral head to move efficiently within the acetabulum during plies, landings, turns, and directional changes. When IR is restricted, dancers may compensate with increased stress throughout the kinetic chain, and compensatory movements through the lumbar spine, pelvis, knees, or feet.

The Hip relies on a delicate muscular balance between hip internal rotation, posterior hip strength, so that the dancer may achieve safe movement mechanics that ensure optimal lower extremity power during jumps, turns and stability during landing.

Summary:

1. Internal Rotation Protects the Hip

Without healthy internal rotation, dancers compensate movements with excessive lumbar rotation, knee valgus collapse, or overuse of turnout muscles when turnout isn’t needed.

2. Internal Rotation Improves Landing Mechanics

Aerials, leaps and tumbling require the hip to absorb force in internal rotation. If the hips cannot internally rotate the knees take the hit. 

3. Internal Rotation Balances the Hip

Training internal rotation will help the body recruit other muscle groups for easier hip extension.

A Note on Injury Risk….

The following observation is based on experience and should be interpreted through the lens of a licensed Physical Therapist or Physician: 

Dancers who lack strong functional internal rotation often present with patterns associated with hip or pelvic stress including:

• Hip Impingement

• SI Joint Irritation

• Knee Pain

• Labral Stress

***This doesn’t mean internal rotation deficit will cause these conditions-only that they commonly appear together in dancers who rely heavily on turnout without training the opposite motion.***

Our top 5 Internal Rotation Exercises

These are the internal rotation drills we rotate through in weekly warm-ups: 

1. 90/90 Hip Internal Rotation Lift Offs

2. Prone Hip Internal Rotation Lift offs

3. Prone Hip Internal Rotation Stretch

4. Prone Hip Internal Rotation Bands (if challenge is warranted)

5. Standing Internal Rotation Step-Throughs

Training internal rotation isn’t glamorous-but it’s one of the most powerful ways to improve technique, protect joints, and build long-term strength for dancers.