Long Leg/Hip Pop
Dancing Smart Newsletter
November 18, 2005
Announcements
Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! I feel blessed that you are all in my life – thank you!
Question of the Week
I'm an adult beginner, and I'm loving my classes. My only real concern is that when I do 5th position with right foot in front, my hip pops when I straighten my leg. My take on it is that it is the IT band snapping over the hip joint, and I think it is happening because my right leg is slightly longer than my left, and I have to really work to straighten it in 5th. It's like I have to force that hip pop to get the leg straight. I have no problem with 5th with the left foot in front.
So here's the question (or questions): Am I correct about what's happening? The pop is not within the joint; I can feel it when I place my hand on the outside of the hip joint. So should I work on stretching the IT on my right leg, or just default to 3rd position on that side? I want to work hard and progress in ballet, but I don't want to keep doing something that will just cause damage as I go along. I might add that my turnout is pretty good, and I don't force it, but it doesn't seem to make any difference if I lessen my turnout.
Thanks so much for the opportunity to ask this.
Lisa
Deb's Answer
Interesting question, Lisa, because it brings up the question of how to deal with leg length differences and how our body compensates. You've hit the nail on the head with how you have analyzed your situation. The common pattern with a long leg and 5th position is it is much easier to have the long leg in back with the short leg in front. In fact, when I have a dancer in my office that says they can't stand in 5th position easily on one side – that's a cue for me to check for a leg length discrepancy.
I agree that the long leg is shifting slightly as it straightens. Probably as you are straightening the pelvis rotates at the very end of straightening and the greater trochanter (the bump on the outside of the femur) slips out from underneath the iliotibial band giving you the 'pop'. Stretching the iliotibial band is always a good idea, but in this situation won't resolve the pop.
What I would suggest is that you play detective. Go to the drug store and pick up a pair of heel cushions, the blue rubbery kind that is about a half inch thick. It compresses to about a quarter inch when standing on it. Put one heel cushion in your left soft slipper and try your 5th position again. Is it easier?
When I have a dancer in my office and we are checking this out I use a thin clipboard and have them stand with their short leg on the clipboard. Typically, if a leg length is the problem they will feel a significant difference, an ease to their fifth position that they didn't have before.
Now before everyone goes out to buy heel cushions to try as lifts – remember that there can be functional shortening at the hip cause by a tight iliopsoas muscle. Stretching out both iliopsoas muscles through the runner's lunge or one of the other stretches and then rechecking your 5th positions might make it easier to stand with the pelvis upright.
You can watch a dancer with a leg length difference stand in first position, and slowly shift onto one leg bringing the gesture leg into coupé. As they shift onto the longer leg their pelvis will lift as they shift, and often when they shift onto the shorter leg you will see the hip on the long leg side drop as they shift. We automatically compensate and square ourselves off whenever possible.
Your other option, Lisa, if you didn't want to go with a lift in the left shoe is to open up to a third position when you have the long leg in front and allow a little more space between your feet. If fifth is the only time you notice the asymmetry and 'pop' then I would just accommodate the position rather than running the risk of irritating the bursa that lies on top of the greater trochanter.
Until next week!
Deborah