As dancers, should we pop our hips?

All humans' joints are fairly similar in shape, but how tight or loose the soft tissues are around the joint depends on the individual. For hips specifically, this will determine whether or not someone can 'pop' or 'snap' them, something which is common amongst dancers particularly. For many dancers, cracking joints are part of everyday life and dancers often pop them subconsciously. This can be for relief from aches and pains, or it could simply be through a habit built up from years of training. There has been much debate as to whether cracking and popping joints is safe, or whether the noise is simply an exaggeration of what is really going on in the joint, perhaps making it sound worse than it is. It is arguable that the hip joints are the parts of the body that snap or are cracked the most - some dancers even struggle with snapping hip syndrome. For some dancers cracking joints just feels good; for others it can help with mobility and what may first appear as muscle stiffness. There are different ways the hips might pop, and each time the sound is a result of the tendons moving over the hip's bone structure. Tendons connect muscle to bone and usually cross a joint. They are held in place but can sometimes get caught on the joint as you are moving. When this is not smooth it results in a pop that you can hear or feel. When the hips are popped intentionally it should not induce pain, just cause relief or reduce any pain that is already there. Occasional snapping of the hip is acceptable, however if it is done repetitively or habitually it can result in inflammation of the tendon and the joint capsule of the hip. This can cause genuine pain and discomfort, muscle tears and decreased function. So look after those hips! We have a range of protective and conditioning dance accessories available. Take a look >>