The Truth About Flexibility and Functional Mobility for Dancers
- Veronica K
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
If you’re a dancer scrolling through Instagram or TikTok, you’ve likely seen someone doing an oversplit or pushing into an extreme stretch with captions like “Do this daily to get your leg higher” or “One drill for better splits.”
It’s captivating. It’s trending. It might be the one thing you haven't tried yet. But it might also be misleading—and harmful for your personal anatomy.
In today’s hyper-visual world, dancers are under constant pressure to look flexible, mobile, and technically flawless. But flexibility isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about functionality, control, and safety. Unfortunately, many of the trending tips I see online miss the mark on keeping dancers safe while improving their ballet technique.
Why “Quick Fix” Flexibility Doesn’t Work
Many viral flexibility routines on social media are promoted by dancers who are well-intentioned, but lack a deep understanding of ballet biomechanics.
They might show you what they do, but not why it works—or if it’s even appropriate for your body. The exercise may produce results on their body but, that doesn't mean that it will work for yours.
The truth is: mobility training is not one-size-fits-all.
What works for someone with hypermobile joints might be dangerous for a dancer with past injuries, tight fascia, neuromuscular disorders, or a structurally different hip socket. For example, trying to mimic a high développé seen online might force a dancer with hip impingement into painful ranges that aggravate the joint (1). In fact, forcing turnout or oversplits without respecting anatomical limitations can overstretch ligaments and destabilize joints over time which can lead to avoidable injuries (2).
"Tightness" Isn’t Always What You Think with Flexibility
Two very common questions I often receive in my inbox include: “How can I quickly improve my hamstring flexibility?” and "What stretches can I do to improve my extensions?"
I would love to give everyone a quick and simple solution but, the real answer is: it depends.
Tightness can result from more than just a lack of stretching or short muscular tissues.
In many dancers, chronic tightness is a sign of instability. If the muscles surrounding a joint—like the glutes or deep core—are underactive or weak, the body will often compensate by tightening opposing muscles to “protect” the joint (3).
For example, tight hip flexors might not need to be stretched—they may need the glutes and transverse abdominis to strengthen and stabilize the pelvis. But, often dance instructors are quick to prescribe students more hip flexor stretching and mobility drills vs. looking at the opposing tissues.
The concept called protective tightness, is often missed in general stretching videos online. It’s why you can stretch every day and still feel stuck. Even worse—ignoring the tightness can lead to compensation injuries like SI joint pain, patellar tracking issues, or labral tears (4).
Static Stretching Alone Doesn’t Create Lasting Ballet Technique Changes
Static stretching (holding a muscle in a lengthened position) used to be the gold standard in dance. But we now know that it doesn’t improve mobility long-term on its own. Any increase in flexibility often fades within minutes unless it's supported by strength training through the new range (5).
Recent research has shown that dancers who incorporated eccentric strengthening exercises (where the muscle lengthens under tension) improved flexibility more than those who just stretched passively (6).
Think: controlled leg lowers, Romanian deadlifts, or resisted développé work—these build strength while increasing range of motion.
This is why my approach goes beyond just “lengthening tight muscles.” I assess why the tightness is there, and integrate strength, neuromuscular activation, and therapeutic mobility techniques to create lasting change.
Why Individual Assessment Matters—Especially for Older Dancers
When working with adult or senior ballet dancers, individualized programming becomes even more important. Aging bodies come with a unique set of needs: reduced collagen elasticity, joint degeneration, and pre-existing injuries.
General advice like “dynamic stretches before class, static after” is helpful—but not specific enough. And many older dancers get caught in routines that no longer serve their goals. This is why I created a specific training program for senior ballet dancers to have resources such as safe stretches, manual therapy techniques, and ballet corrective exercises right at their fingertips.
As a Certified Personal Trainer and former Physical Therapist Assistant, I combine:
Myofascial mobility techniques
Therapeutic joint protection strategies
Neuromuscular re-education
Functional strength training
Together, these address the root causes of mobility limitations—whether it’s fascial restriction, muscle imbalance, or postural misalignment. This approach helps dancers regain mobility in a way that’s safe, functional, and tailored to their actual body. This applies to all my training programs and is not exclusive to the senior ballet training program.
Fixing the Gap Between Dance & Injury Prevention Education
Unfortunately, many dance educators still lack the resources or training to guide dancers safely through mobility and injury prevention. While some have grown in their anatomy and biomechanics knowledge, many feel it's “out of scope” to dive into corrective methods or understand injuries.
That’s why I created my Instructor Certification Program—to bridge that gap. It’s not about turning teachers into PTs or trainers. It’s about empowering them to integrate simple, effective, science-backed strategies that prevent injury and support better technique across all ages.
Learn with Me – Upcoming Mobility Workshop
On May 16th, 2025 at 11:30 AM EST, I’m hosting a live, 45-minute mobility workshop on the Veronica K Platform.
This training is designed for:
Teen ballet dancers building technique
Adult dancers trying to stay mobile
Senior dancers working with limitations
✅ Free to Veronica K Platform Members
💵 $10 for Non-Members or to Purchase the Recording with lifetime access
Reading this after the workshop? Don't worry, the link to purchase this training will be posted here at a later date.
To explore more ballet injury prevention and corrective exercises on the Veronica K Platform™, check out:
The Summer 2025 Injury Prevention Intensive (Online & In-Person)
Let’s ditch the viral “copy & paste” flexibility trends and get results that actually work for your body.
Questsions? Feel free to email me anytime at info@veronicakballet.com
References
Kaufmann JE, Nelissen R, Exner-Grave E, Gademan MG. Does forced or compensated turnout lead to musculoskeletal injuries in dancers? A systematic review on the complexity of causes. J Biomech. 2021;114:110084. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2020.110084.
Sobrino FJ, Guillén P. Overuse injuries in professional ballet: Influence of age and years of professional practice. Orthop J Sports Med. 2017;5(6):2325967117712704. doi:10.1177/2325967117712704.
Kaufmann JE, Nelissen R, Stubbe JH, Gademan MG. Neuromuscular warm-up is associated with fewer overuse injuries in ballet dancers compared to traditional ballet-specific warm-up. J Dance Med Sci. 2022;26(4):244-254. doi:10.12678/1089-313X.121522e.
Armstrong R, Relph N. Screening tools as a predictor of injury in dance: systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Sports Med Open. 2018;4(1):33. doi:10.1186/s40798-018-0146-z.
Mills-Hutton L. Over-Stretching in Dancers – Tips from a Dancer and Physiotherapist. Tuxedo Physiotherapy Blog. Published February 25, 2019. Updated April 14, 2022. Accessed May 6, 2025. https://www.tuxedophysiotherapy.com/single-post/2019/02/24/over-stretching-in-dancers-tips-from-a-dancer-and-physiotherapist
Liang F, Hongfeng H, Ying Z. The effects of eccentric training on hamstring flexibility and strength in young dance students. Sci Rep. 2024;14:3692. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-53987-0.
Ngo JK, Carling C, Hewit J, et al. Strength and conditioning in dance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Sport Sci. 2024;24(7):1267-1287. doi:10.1080/17461391.2023.2194912.
Scottish Rite for Children. Keeping Up with the Count: Hip Health in Dancers. Sports Medicine Blog. Published October 20, 2021. Accessed May 6, 2025. https://scottishriteforchildren.org/keeping-up-with-the-count-hip-health-in-dancers/
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