Popping Hips

[Guest dancingforever]

I've had to pop my hips to be able to turnout more and not feel tight for about 9 months. I asked if doing this was ok, and I was told that as long as I wasn't in pain, popping would be fine. Well, I'm having to do it more and more--probably a dozen times during barre and stretch, and maybe half a dozen during the rest of class. On my right side, where the leg and hip connect, there is a pain when I developpe to the side. I think this is my hip flexor, and I've been doing some lunges to stretch it, but I'm really worried because it hurts, almost like it gets stuck past 110 degrees or so. Actually, when I support the underside of my thigh with my hand, the pain goes away. It's only when I am actively using the muscles to keep my leg us. Maybe I am gripping? I pop both sides, but the left doesn't have this problem... What do I do?

[Mel Johnson]

One thing may not have anything to do with the other. Still, since there's pain, you have to get advice from a physician on this one. It sounds to me as though you are getting the type of popping hip that is made by ligaments, so it's a bone/bone relationship, not a bone/muscle one.

[vrsfanatic]

When you have enough pain that you would ask questions about it or in your case enough that you must alter your work, see a doctor. The other alternative, to take time off and see if the pain subsides a bit.

[elizzy]

It sounds like I kind of have the same symptoms that you do, dancingforever. When I told my parents about it about a year ago, they took me to a few different doctors and physical therapists, including a chiropractor (helped nicely in the short-term, but not in the long-term) and a sports therapist at Athletico who works with a lot of dancers in the area where I live. She gave me the most help, and told me that what was going on (and it might be kind of the same with you, though one can never be sure) had to do with my posture and how I would sink into my lower spine when I stood and even at the barre. Also, you might be using your quads more than is ideal when you developpe. What helps are excercises to strengthen the lower abdominals and really really actively holding your center, namely the lower abs, when lifting your legs. I found a lot of the exercises to be tedious after a while and so my whole hip dealy has stayed the same/worsened slightly, which is a bummer. But I would suggest finding a sports physician/physical therapist, or even better, one who specializes in working with dancers, and having them take a look at you.

 

~Lizzy