The so-called “hip dips” are the depressions that are located under the hips, on the outer part of the thigh. These have become the latest body feature to be analyzed, corrected and cause for anguish on social media.
Formally known as trochanteric depressiondimples on the hips exist in both men and women and are the result of the space between two bones. How visible they appear depends on bone structure, muscle size and the amount of fat present in the area, and is largely a result of genetics.
Studies suggest that some people feel that hip depressions disrupt the natural contours of the body, although what is considered an attractive figure varies from person to person.
The most recommended exercises to reduce depressions in the hips are aimed at gluteus mediusthe muscle of the buttocks that is located directly over the depression, explained the anatomy professor, Adam Taylorin an article by .
These include weight-bearing exercises such as squats, lunges, step exercises and supine bridges.
As the gluteus medius is made up of three groups of fibersa combination of exercises is likely to work better than limiting yourself to just one. However, as you gain muscle mass and reduce fat in that area, the underlying bones and muscles may become more prominentmaking depression more visible.
Furthermore, overloading the gluteus medius through repetitive exercises is one of the main causes of microtraumatismos in the muscle and its tendons, which can trigger a condition called trochanteritis. It’s even four times more common in women than in men and will affect up to a quarter of the population at some point in their lives.
Symptoms include pain and tenderness in the hip, thigh and buttocks. The body’s repair process involves replacing damaged tendon tissue with a weaker form of collagen, gradually reducing the strength and integrity of tendons over time.
For those who want faster or more visible results, the cosmetic procedures are an option, although none of them are without disadvantages. Risks include bruising, infection, fat loss, tissue necrosis and, in rare cases, fat embolism.
A newer and less invasive option is hyaluronic acid injectionswhich attract water to the tissue and temporarily increase its volume. As the injections are given in an area with only small blood vessels, the risks are lower.
However, the results are not permanentas the body degrades hyaluronic acid over time, therefore more treatments are necessary.
Although hip dimples appear in both sexes, it is almost exclusively women who seek to alter them, reflecting broader differences in the way men and women are socialized to think about the shape of their bodies.
The answer is that, without resorting to surgerydepressions in the hips cannot be eliminated. They are a feature of your skeleton and no amount of physical exercise will move your bones.
Exercise can change the shape of surrounding muscles to some extent, but it may have little effect on depression itself and carries its own risks. For most people, the simplest option is leave them as they are.
