IADMS Miami 2000   [back to the Category]

The Clinical Significance and Treatment of The “Low Hip” in the Adolescent Dancer   [read the french version]

Author :   Suzanne Martin, M.A., M.P.T.

Author: Suzanne Martin, M.A., M.P.T., Smuin Ballets/ SF, St. Mary’s College LEAP Program, San Francisco Ballet School Well-Being Facilitator, San Francisco, CA, USA

This is a presentation focusing on the condition known as the “low hip” in clinical slang terminology. The “low hip” is observed in a pelvic obliquity where often both anterior and posterior iliac spines of the pelvis are ipsilaterally more caudad then the contralateral corresponding bony landmarks. This condition poses an especially important consideration in developing young adolescents.

A pelvic obliquity involves the alignment of the spine by virtue of the pelvis and spine being linked in a “closed” system. This altering of the spine can occur in many planes, involving trunk side-bending and rotation along its anatomic curvatures. These alterations, known as scoliosis, can be differentiated into the categories of “structural” or “functional” scolioses. A true structural scoliosis must be ruled out for the safety and well being of the pre-professional dancer because bony anomalies, collagenous defects, or neurological pathologies may not necessarily respond to conservative treatment. While true structural scoliosis will either remain static or progress at its own independent rate, functional scoliosis can be treated well by physical therapists and their motivated dance patients. Early intervention is best to ensure the best outcome as muscle lengths adjust to the developing adolescent’s bone structure

The presentation will focus primarily on the hypothetical treatment of a “low hip” in a patient with compensatory functional scoliosis. The biomechanical chain of compensations will be explained. Both passive and active suggested treatment protocols will be addressed.

Manual therapy of both soft tissue and joint structures can free the changing body so that it can acquire balanced neurological motor control. Then individual-specific active assistive exercises and neurological re-education must be done outside of the dance environment, and then re-integrated into dance training and performance.

This is the abstract of a paper presented at the Tenth Annual Meeting of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science, held 27-29 October 2000 in Miami, Florida, USA. All rights are reserved by the individual author(s).