1. Flexibility continued………..
The Dancer in training
Flexibility continued………..

2. Learning Outcomes By the end of the lesson students will:
Understand how the hip, knee and ankle are used in flexibility.
Recognise injuries that occur due to problems in the hip, knee and ankle.

3. The hip/pelvis
The hip/pelvis is the strongest joint in the body due to it’s heavy net of ligaments and strong musculature.
The hip joint is a synovial ball and socket joint between the head of the femur and the acetabulum on the pelvis.
The ball and socket are also deeply set to give greater stability. At the same time, the top of the head of the femur stands out from the pelvis, giving a greater range of movement in all directions. Consider this the next time you are performing a ronds de jambe en l’air - an exercise which increases hip flexibility.

4. Structural features of this joint
Contains synovial fluid
Has a capsule made up of fibrous tissue
Has a synovial membrane
Cartilage
Has 2 articulating surfaces (head of femur/acetabulum)
Ligaments (ilio-femoral, pubo-femoral, ischio-femoral)

5. Range of movement available
The hip allows different ranges of movement:
Flexion
Extension
Adduction
Abduction
Internal and external rotation
In classical ballet and some types of ethnic dance the dancer works the hips externally rotated therefore realigning the whole lower limb. The dancer calls this turn out.

7. An important muscle group of the hip area connecting the pelvis and spine to the leg is the iliopsoas, which is the main flexor muscle of the hip.
Three muscles make up this group; psoas major, psoas minor and the iliacus. Their origin is on the vertebrae and they insert on the top the femur bone. (see picture)
When the iliopsoas is in good condition it can improve flexibility in the hip, core stability and turn out.
Also it is the only muscle that can lift the leg over 90 degrees.

8. How a dancer utilises movement in this joint
Extension – dancer can perform arabesques
Lateral rotation – allows the dancer to establish turnout, needed in most genres
Flexion – the dancer can produce a high front leg kick (develop devant).

9. How is turn out achieved?
The turn-out associated closely with classical ballet depends on the ‘y’ shaped ilio-femoral ligament and the angle at which the femur is set in the bowl of the acetabulum of the hip socket.
The powerful ligament holds the femur, and if gently stretched at an early age, it can become more elastic and so increase the range of motion in the hip. This must be balanced with the strength both of the turn-out muscles and of those muscles which lift the leg.

10. Postural injuries to the Pelvis
Some dancers with too-loose ligaments may feel their hip go out of joint.
Over time this may lead to deterioration in the joint. The musculature must be strengthened in order to avoid this condition, which in time, can develop into osteoarthrosis of the hip where the joint narrows and the bone surface wears away – this is very painful.
Many dancers trained in Graham technique in the early days forced the opening of the hips and have suffered such deterioration as a consequence.

11. Postural problems of the Pelvis
Tight musculature and ligaments around the hip can affect the back and create misalignments around the body.
Forcing turn out, insufficient warm up and misalignment are all possible causes of injuries such as strains to the rectus femoris.
The correct tilt of the pelvis is essential. If the pelvis is held out of alignment for prolonged periods, the muscles around it will compensate and loosen or tighten loosing their usual balance.
Once the muscles lose their usual balance the spinal curves will also adjust. A forward tilted pelvis produces a ‘hollow back’ in the thoracic curve, abdominal muscles weaken and back muscles tighten.

12. The correct tilt of the pelvis is essential
The correct tilt of the pelvis is essential. If the pelvis is held out of alignment for prolonged periods, the muscles around it will compensate and loosen or tighten loosing their usual balance.
Once the muscles lose their usual balance the spinal curves will also adjust. A forward tilted pelvis produces a ‘hollow back’ in the thoracic curve, abdominal muscles weaken and back muscles tighten.

13. The use of the hip in different dance genres
One of the best-known characteristics of classical ballet is the turned out position of the hips, feet and legs which is like indian and Eastern genres in this respect.
The turn out must be controlled by the muscles of the pelvis, particularly the inside-thigh muscles and the gluteous minimus which links the legs to the pelvis.

14. The use of the hip in different dance genres continued ………
Forcing turn out at an early age by twisting the hips will over-stretch the musculature of the spine and lead to injury of the lower back, groin and knees.
In the modern genre, a more ‘natural’ parallel hold of the hips is preferred.
This originated in the work of Isadora as a rebellion against what she regarded as the artificiality of ballet.
Later Martha used it with greater emphasis to give her choreography a ‘hard-edged’ look in combination with flexed feet and hands.

15. The Knee The knee joint is a synovial hinge joint.
Flexion and extension are possible with a small amount of rotation when the joint is flexed.
The joint is stabilised by ligaments as well as the muscles acting over the joint.

16. The knee
The knee joint is potentially unstable, but the cruciate ligaments hold the femur on the tibia making it strong and robust.
Also, two semi-lunar cartilages help to deepen the joint and circulate the synovial fluid, assisting shock absorption.
These do not take weight, but if the knee is twisted whilst weight bearing they can be trapped between the femur and tibia and will tear.

18. The knee continued …………
The kneecap (patella) protects this joint and acts to increase the action of the big thigh muscles by serving as a point of attachment of the tendon and thereby increasing leverage for the movement of the joint. Thus lifting the leg and extending the knee from the thigh are made possible.

19. Postural problems of the knee
Most knee injuries occur when bearing weight in flexion, because this is when the joint has least stability.
Many such injuries result from repeated twisted misalignment which will loosen ligaments.
Such often arises during plies, when there is a failure to maintain the line of the patella directly over the midline of the feet.

20. Continued……..
If the knee is allowed to ‘screw’ because of inadequate hip flexibility, the medial ligament will take undue stress, and there will also be excess strain on the inside of the knee.
Foot-rolling may also be a factor.
The uneven pull on the patella will cause deterioration of the ligaments.

21. Continued ……….
The maintenance of a straight, secure knee joint with minimal rotation during movement is the main way to protect it.
After a knee injury, attention should be given to the quadriceps muscle group in order to compensate for the loss of strength due to lack of use.
This muscle group wastes quickly (atrophy) and so needs exercise, as do the hamstrings (the pair muscle group to the quads) which provide the necessary stretch as the quads contract.

22. Postural defects of the knee - hyperextension
‘swayback’ knees, although useful in classical ballet, because they give a long, aesthetically pleasing look, are a sign of weak quads. Over stretching of the hamstrings and locking of the knees should be avoided.

23. The ankle
The ankle joint is purely a hinge joint between the tibia and fibula forming a mortise into which fits the talus, receiving the whole weight of the body and transmitting it through the foot to the floor.
The ligaments on the outside and inside are the main means of support.
The ankle joint is very stable, but also the site of large stresses.
Fascinating Fact: on landing from jumps, the ankle can absorb up to 8 times the body weight!!!

24. Range of movement possible;
Only plantarflexion and dorsiflexion are possible in the ankle joint.
The rotation possible in the area happens at the subtalar joint, a joint under the talus between it and the calcaneus.
Anatomically “sickling” known by the dancer is called inversion and “rolling” is called eversion (pronation).

25. Postural problems/injuries in the ankle
Sprained ankle – the most commonly injured part of the ankle is the anterior tibia fibular ligament on the outside of the ankle.
A sprain of a joint, the most common injury in dance, can happen from faulty landings causing the foot to sickle inwards as it rolls. Treatment R.I.C.E

26. Why does a dancer need good mobility in the feet and ankles?
Aids safe take off and landing in jumps
More fluidity of movement
Aids speed of dancer
Pointe work

27. Mobility in the feet and ankles is important in order to take off and land safely when jumping.
Good mobility in the feet and ankles allows the dancer to develop good alignment at the point of contact with the floor. Without this the knees, hips and spine will have to compensate and misalignments and injuries are more likely to happen in the rest of the body.
The feet and ankles need to absorb the impact of landing and provide impulse for take-off; good mobility increases the range of movement and therefore the capacity to absorb shock and produce impulse.

28. Exercises used in class to mobilise feet and ankles.
Battement tendu
Standing in 1st the dancer slides one foot along the floor with a stretched leg, until the foot is fully articulated in plantarflexion (pointed)
Battement glisse
Releve and plie
Prances
Brushes
Plantarflexion and dorsiflexion of the ankle

29. In conclusion
Improving mobility in the joints is crucial if the dancer is the maintain muscular balance in the body.
This of course will also help alignment, safe working methods and avoidance of injury.
Since structural limitations of bone and ligaments cannot be changed, it is important that all dancers learn to work within their own personal range.