Shameless ballerina gives head as she bends and stretches in the nude
April 17, 2008 – 8:30 pm
Many myths and fallacies have been perpetuated about contortionists; most of them are due to the general public’s unfamiliarity with human anatomy and physiology, while some are showman’s hype that has been invented by the performers themselves or their promoters in order to make the act appear even more mysterious.
Myth: Contortionists apply snake oil to their joints or drink special elixirs to become flexible. - This was a popular myth in the 19th century when medicine shows hired contortionists to “prove” the effectiveness of their arthritis medicines. Their extreme bending was not actually the result of their patent medicines. Flexibility is the result of either genetics or intense physical training or, more likely, both. This myth has inspired fictional characters like the Elongated Man.
Myth: “Double-jointed” people have more joints than most people do. - Every fully-formed person has exactly the same number of joints. “Double-jointed” is just a slang expression used to describe the appearance of a person who can bend much further than one might think a joint would allow a limb to bend. In spite of the origin of the word, it is a perfectly acceptable expression to describe a person who is hypermobile.
Myth: Contortionists have to dislocate their joints when they bend unusually far. - Since some loose-jointed people are able to pop a joint out of its socket without pain, it may be hard to tell whether a joint is actually dislocated without an x-ray. However, as long as the joint socket is the right shape, most extreme bends can be achieved without dislocating the joint. Actual dislocations are rarely used during athletic contortion acts since they make the joint more unstable and prone to injury, and a dislocated limb cannot lift itself or support any weight.
