Dance places significant strain on the body, and most of the issues we see in dancers trace back to turnout — and specifically, whether that turnout is genuinely coming from the hip, rather than being forced through the knee or foot.

Turnout Starts at the Hip

Very few dancers are born with a perfect natural turnout. Genetic factors like a higher degree of external tibial torsion, flat feet, bowed legs or knocked knees can put dancers at a disadvantage, and over time these can contribute to hip labrum tears, tight groins and pelvic instability even in dancers who are otherwise very flexible. When poor turnout habits are forced over a long period, the soft tissue of the knee, hip, ankle and foot joints can be affected, and scoliosis can also become a factor, potentially affecting balance and contributing to overuse back injuries.

 

Common Dance Injuries

Ankle sprains

Among the most common acute injuries in dance, and unfortunately something that can recur more than once across a dancer’s career.

Knee injuries

Twisting the knee mid-movement, forcing turnout through the feet rather than the hips, or losing control landing a jump can all place strain on the knee’s cartilage.

Hamstring tears

The hamstrings are used in almost every lower-body movement in dance, which makes them easy to overload tightness is usually the main contributing factor.

Growth-related injuries in younger dancers

Sever’s Disease and Osgood-Schlatter Disease are common in dancers aged 8–13, both linked to tractional pull on the growth plate from rapid growth combined with repetitive, demanding activity.

 

Our Approach to Prevention

Prevention matters more than most dancers realise, and our approach is the same one we take across every condition: treat the cause, not just the symptom. For younger dancers, this can mean addressing tibial torsion issues early, before they affect turnout later in a dancer’s career. For more experienced dancers, it can mean working on hip range of motion and pelvic stability to help keep the body more resilient under load.

 

Treatment Options We Offer

  • Custom orthotics designed to help realign biomechanical structure and manage excess pronation
  • Assessment of tibial torsion and hip range of motion
  • Targeted stretching and strengthening
  • A treatment plan built around your specific training and performance demands

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can turnout actually be improved?

Genuine turnout comes from hip mobility, not from forcing the feet or knees into position. An assessment can help identify how much of your available turnout is coming from the hip versus being compensated elsewhere, which is important for both performance and injury prevention.

 

Book an Assessment

If you’re a dancer managing recurring pain or an injury, book a biomechanical assessment at your nearest Dr Abbie Clinics location.

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