How do you increase your turnout?
*Plié, twist your feet out, and extend to standing*
No way! Unless you want knee pain, then go ahead…
Turnout comes from your hips, knees, ankles, and feet. BUT, most of your turnout should come from your HIPS. If not, it can lead to knee and foot injuries or pain.
How do muscles contribute to turnout?
If certain muscles around the hip are tight, it will limit your turnout
If the hip rotator muscles are weak, it will also limit your turnout.
Bony factors affecting turnout (this is out of your control):Excessive femoral anteversion: the angle of inward rotation of the femur (thigh bone), which is normally 15 degrees
Orientation of the acetabulum (hip socket)
Shape of the femoral neck: A longer femoral neck (top part of your thigh bone) will allow for greater turnout
Y ligament: a ligament in the front of you hip that limits turnout (Some people’s ligaments are more flexible than others)
What muscles perform turnout?The large gluteal muscles
Your deep external rotators, which are most important for turnout
Your sartorius, an external rotator that runs diagonally along the front of your leg
Your adductors, or inner thigh muscles, may help your turnout when you straighten your legs while you rise from a plie
What muscles can limit your turnout if they are tight?Adductors
Tensor fascia lata (and IT band)
Piriformis (even though it externally rotates your hip)
Hip flexor
Forced turnout is when your body has to compensate for not having the ability to perform turn out. The body normally compensates by:
Lumbar hyperextension / anterior pelvic tilt
Tibial external rotation
Ankle over pronation
Foot abduction Overtime, these compensations may lead to injury!
DID YOU KNOW?
There are exercises that you can do to strengthen these rotator muscles and stretch the muscles that may limit your turnout!
Check our instagram page to see them! Search #mbodyyourturnout if you can’t find them.