Hip Instability in Ballet Dancers: A Narrative Review

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Sports Medicine
• Dance Science

Background:

• Dancers exhibit significant hip range of motion due to inherent and acquired anatomical factors.
• Generalized hypermobility in dancers can lead to hip instability.
• This review examines hip instability in dancers, covering anatomy, causes, risks, symptoms, and treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the anatomical characteristics, pathogenesis, risk factors, clinical presentation, and management of hip instability in dancers.
• To synthesize current knowledge on hip instability treatments and their outcomes in the dance population.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective search of English-language articles on hip stability in dancers was conducted.
• Databases searched included PubMed, Scopus, and MEDLINE, using keywords related to dance, hip, hypermobility, and instability.
• Forty-three studies were analyzed for relevant information.

Main Results:

• Groin pain is the most common symptom of hip instability in dancers.
• Physical examination may reveal various impingement and instability signs.
• Common findings include hip dysplasia, cam morphology, femoral retroversion, coxa valga, labral tears, and ligamentum teres tears.

Conclusions:

• Hip hypermobility, while advantageous for dancers, increases the risk of hip instability.
• Identifying the multifactorial causes of hip pain in dancers is crucial.
• Further high-quality research is needed on the outcomes of hip instability treatments in dancers.