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Legs that always look straight? In our dreams right ?
Hyper extension or hyper mobile knee joints mean that you can move beyond the normal range for the joint. Usually that means 1) The ends of one or more bones at the joint are abnormally shaped or 2) Your ligaments - which are holding the bones together - are loose, allowing them to go beyond proper joint alignment.
AND it does create a really nice line, and isn't that what we are all working towards?
”Whether you’re hyperextended is just a roll of the genetic dice—you’ve either got it, or you don’t. Although most dancers covet the long lines that hyperextension creates, it’s a double-edged sword.
Dancers with hyperlaxity in their knees tend to be more flexible in the rest of their body as well ( enough hating on them ! ) —which means they have a host of strength issues to work on and potential injuries to avoid.
Dancers who consistently allow their standing legs to bow backwards into full hyperextension can loosen the knee joints to a dangerous degree. It’s not just flexible muscles, you could be over stretching ligaments as well—and ligaments don’t tighten up again, then you’ve lost that security in the joints that the ligaments used to provide.
So its not all fun and games for those lucky peeps with Hyperextension
Although dancers without hyperextension may feel like they got the short end of the genetic stick, there’s good news as in general, tight dancers have more longevity. They also tend to have more strength and be better at allegro , although we have some friends who might argue this point!
So is there anything we can do if we didn't choose the right parents for genetically blessed ballet legs ?
Doing anything that forces your knees backward in hopes of gaining hyperextension is dangerous and can cause a myriad of serious injuries, including overstretched ligaments. Stretching your hamstrings the right way is the safest path to straighter legs. Most Physio recommend stretching with an engaged quad muscle because using your quads naturally relaxes the hamstrings. When you pull up your quads, you’re actively straightening your knee and stretching your hamstring at the same time if you do that in a stretch, you’re going to get to that last bit of hamstring tightness that’s behind the knee.
Don't be disheartened , there are a lot of gorgeous and respected dancers out there with little or no hyperextension . Work on your own personal strengths and let them shine ! Be sure to use your maximum turnout and also articulation through your feet at all times as this can create beautiful leg and foot lines without any hyperextension.
And keep stretching your hammys !
(Maybe not quite to this extreme )
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