Why Oversplits and Forced Hyper‑Ranges of Motion Are Harmful for Adult and Senior Ballet Dancers
- Veronica K
- Feb 4
- 4 min read
In the world of dance on social media, oversplits and extreme range‑of‑motion trends have exploded in popularity. You’ve likely seen videos of dancers weighing down their limbs, suspending their legs between chairs, or aggressively pushing for deeper splits. At first glance, these positions can look impressive—but they’re not what our bodies were built for, especially as adult or senior ballet dancers.
Why Extreme Flexibility Isn’t the Goal in Adult Ballet
Ballet technique values control, strength, and functional mobility, not contortion‑level flexibility. True flexibility for dancers is a blend of joint range of motion with neuromuscular control and strength.
Simply stretching into deeper ranges without control does not equate to improved dance technique, and in many cases it creates structural problems in the body.
Even in young dancers, research shows that joint hypermobility—even though it might appear advantageous—can predispose a dancer to increased injury risk and joint instability when not properly managed with strength and control training. In one study, hypermobile dancers experienced significantly more injuries than non‑hypermobile dancers, suggesting that excessive range without stability is a liability, not a benefit.
The Risks of Forced Flexibility and Oversplits
When a dancer pushes past safe ranges of motion or forces extreme positions like oversplits, several destructive processes can occur:
1. Joint and Ligament Damage: Static extremes like oversplits stretch ligaments beyond their elastic limit. Once ligaments are overstretched, they don’t “snap back,” leading to joint instability—which increases the risk for injuries such as subluxations or chronic instability.
2. Hip Impingement, Labral Tears, and Cartilage Wear: Extreme hip positions create unsafe angles where the femur presses into the hip socket. This can irritate or tear the hip
labrum and lead to long‑term joint degeneration.
3. Decreased Proprioception and Neuromuscular Control: Recent research finds that hypermobile individuals often have poorer proprioceptive awareness—the body’s ability to sense where a joint is in space—which increases the risk of biomechanically unsafe positions during movement.
4. Overuse and Chronic Pain: Repeatedly forcing flexibility leads not only to acute injuries but also to overuse syndromes, especially in the knees, hips, and lower back—areas already under high demands in ballet.
For adult and senior dancers whose bodies naturally change with age, the cumulative stress of forced ranges can accelerate wear and tear and reduce longevity in dance.
Why Myofascial Mobility Is a Safer, Smarter Path for Adult Ballet Mobility Training
Instead of fixating on how deep a stretch is, dancers benefit more from developing safe, functional flexibility that supports movement.
That’s where myofascial mobility comes in.
The fascia is the connective tissue network that envelops muscles, joints, and organs. It plays a key role in how movement transfers through the body.
Approaches that target fascial lines—rather than isolated joint end ranges—promote greater movement control and functional integration. Research is increasingly highlighting fascial contributions to movement patterns and stability.
When you train myofascial mobility:
You improve usable range of motion in ways that support movement quality rather than just length.
Tissue preparation becomes more about controlled motion instead of hanging in uncomfortable end ranges.
Flexibility gains are supported by strength, proprioception, and coordinated control, preventing the weaknesses often seen after forced stretching.
This approach aligns with modern dance medicine principles, which emphasize strength and neuromuscular training over static extreme flexibility for injury prevention.
A Better Way Forward for Adult & Senior Ballet Dancers
If you are an adult or senior ballet dancer who wants to improve your range of motion safely and sustainably, there is a smarter path than oversplits:
1. Join the Flexibility & Mobility Course on the Veronica K Ballet Platform
This course blends myofascial mobility techniques with progressive, controlled movement patterns. It’s designed specifically for dancers who want functional range of motion combined with strength and alignment, not just aesthetic flexibility.
Learn more about Veronica K Ballet memberships here and start improving mobility safely.
Use Code BLOG10 for 10% Off Any Subscription
2. Prefer Personalized Support? Schedule a Free Consult!
If you want a custom one‑on‑one plan, we’ll tailor your training to your history, goals, and body’s needs. This is ideal if you’ve struggled with injuries, hypermobility, or mobility plateaus. Book here.
3. Try Live Online Group Training (First Class Free)
Join live classes where you can interact, ask questions, and train in a supportive environment with other adult ballet dancers. Click here.
McCormack M, Grahame R, Hakim A. Joint hypermobility and injury risk in dancers. PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6334748/. Accessed February 4, 2026.
Dancewright. Are oversplits safe for young dancers? Dancewright. https://www.dancewright.com.au/single-post/are-oversplits-safe-for-young-dancers. Accessed February 4, 2026.
Pointe Magazine. Is overstretching bad? Pointe. https://pointemagazine.com/is-overstretching-bad/. Accessed February 4, 2026.
Rombaut L, Malfait F, Cools A, et al. Proprioceptive deficits in hypermobile individuals. Nature Sci Rep. 2025;15:24199. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-24199-x. Accessed February 4, 2026.
National Library of Medicine. Overuse injuries related to extreme flexibility in dancers. PMC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12339513/. Accessed February 4, 2026.
SSPC Physiotherapy. Ballet dancers: changing focus from stretch to strength. https://www.sspc.physio/ballet-dancers-changing-focus-from-stretch-to-strength/. Accessed February 4, 2026.
Schleip R, Findley TW, Chaitow L, Huijing PA. Fascia and mobility: emerging evidence for myofascial influence on movement. Int J Mol Sci. 2025;26(12):5587. https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/12/5587. Accessed February 4, 2026.
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