The "Bendy" Student: Why Hypermobility is a Secret Injury Risk for Dancers in The Studio
- Kendall Baab, MSc, CSCS
- May 9
- 4 min read
In the dance world, we often celebrate flexibility as the ultimate "gift." We see the student with the natural 180-degree extension or the effortless over-split and think, “They have everything they need to succeed.”
But as dance science educators, we know a hidden truth: Flexibility without stability is a liability.
If you have a student who is "naturally bendy" but struggles with balance, experiences frequent "mystery" joint pain, or seems to "flop" into positions rather than holding them, you aren't looking at a flexible dancer - you are looking at a hypermobile one.
What is Hypermobility for Dancers, Exactly?
Hypermobility occurs when the ligaments (the soft tissues that connect bone to bone) are more lax than average. Think of ligaments like a rubber band. In a typical body, that rubber band is taut and provides a natural "stop" at the end of a joint's range of motion. In a hypermobile body, that rubber band is over-stretched or "loose," allowing the joint to move far beyond its healthy boundaries.
While this looks beautiful in a penché, it means the muscles have to work ten times harder to stabilize the joints. When the muscles get tired, the joints take the hit.
The Symptoms: How to Spot it in Class
Hypermobility often goes undiagnosed because it’s masked by "good technique." Here are the red flags to look for:
Hyperextended Knees and Elbows: The classic "bowed" leg or past 180-degrees arm when fully extended.
Frequent "Tweaks": The student who always has a sore ankle, a "clicking" hip, or a "tweaked" shoulder, but not always a major injury. And usually their symptoms go away quicker, but then another one pops up.
Proprioception Struggles: Hypermobile dancers often have a poor "map" of where their body is in space. They might over-shoot a position because their joints aren't sending clear signals to the brain. They might also bump into other dancers in class or run into things more easily.
Heavy Landing: Because they struggle to control the deceleration of their joints, they often land jumps with a "thud" rather than a soft roll-through.
Locking the Joints: They tend to "lock" their joints and go past a neutral position. This end-range position feels "straight" to them, but it's actually less stable than a true neutral position.
The Beighton Score: A Simple "Test"
While we aren't doctors and cannot give medical diagnoses, we can use a simple screening tool called the Beighton Score to identify students who may need extra stability support.
The Beighton Score is a 9-point system. Give the student 1 point for each of the following they can do:
Left Pinky: Can they bend it back past 90 degrees? (1 pt)
Right Pinky: Can they bend it back past 90 degrees? (1 pt)
Left Thumb: Can they touch their thumb to their forearm? (1 pt)
Right Thumb: Can they touch their thumb to their forearm? (1 pt)
Left Elbow: Does it hyperextend past 10 degrees? (1 pt)
Right Elbow: Does it hyperextend past 10 degrees? (1 pt)
Left Knee: Does it hyperextend past 10 degrees? (1 pt)
Right Knee: Does it hyperextend past 10 degrees? (1 pt)
Spine: Can they put their palms flat on the floor without bending their knees? (1 pt)
A score of 5 or higher generally indicates systemic hypermobility. For these students, the goal of training shifts from gaining range of motion to controlling the range they already have.
Disclaimer: It's important to note that the Beighton Score is heavily upper-body biased and does not account for flexibility of the muscles (for instance, many dancers can easily touch the palms to the floor even if they don't have hypermobility). Use this as a general tool, not a diagnosis.
The Danger of the "Stretch-First" Mentality
The biggest mistake we make with hypermobile dancers is letting them sit in passive stretches. When a hypermobile dancer feels "tight," it’s often because their muscles are in a state of protective tension and they are gripping for dear life to keep the joint from dislocating.
If we force that student to stretch even more, we are essentially pulling the pin out of the grenade. Instead, these dancers need strength, proprioception, and "functional" flexibility.
We want to encourage them to do more stabilization exercises and strength training to support their joints. Instead of praising them for their perfect lines.
Training the "Bendy" Dancer (and Everyone Else)
Understanding hypermobility is just one piece of the puzzle. As dance educators, our job is to protect these students from the injuries that often end dance careers before they truly begin - things like labral tears, stress fractures, and chronic instability.
But how do you teach a hypermobile student in the same room as a student with very tight hips? How do you give a correction that works for both?
This is exactly what we are tackling at the 2026 Virtual Dance Science Teacher Intensive.
On August 1st and 2nd, I’m leading a two-day deep dive into the science of the dance studio. We are going to spend a significant portion of our time on Injury Prevention and Resistance Training, for dancers who are hypermobile and dancers who are not.
I want to give you the "X-ray vision" to spot these issues before they become injuries, and the "Precision Cueing" toolkit to help these students find their strength.
Ready to start teaching with science-backed precision?
Early Bird registration is open through May 31st! Don't miss your chance to join a community of educators who are elevating the industry and protecting the next generation of dancers.
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