Turn Out Reeducation in Dancers with Knee Pain
- WSDPT team
- Jun 17, 2018
- 2 min read
For the adolescent dancer starting or coming back to a fall program is a very exciting time and usually filled with much anticipation and eagerness to continue learning and growing as a dancer. During this time many dancers are continuing to grow biologically and this offers new challenges for the dancer to navigate. One of the most common issues we see arise in this population is the development of knee pain (Smith 2015).
While there are many contributing factors to knee pain, lumbopelvic control and hip strength are a few biomechanical influences that may need to be addressed (Negus 2005). Focusing on inner ranger hip external rotation strength is needed to effectively work in a turned out position and maximize the ability of the joints and tissues of the knee to withstand the forces of this fundamental technique in ballet.
Often, pre-professional dancers use the tensor fascia lata (TFL) and superficial fibers of the gluteus maximus muscles to perform turn out. These muscles are not pure hip external rotators. The 6 deep hip external rotator muscles that are needed to turn out are
Obturator internus, obturator externus, superior gemellus, inferior gemellus, quadratus femoris, and piriformis
One exercise we use to train hip external rotation without compensatory patterns is on the turn out discs. Have your dancer perform hip external rotation by palpating the hip external rotators and greater trochanter. Make sure compensatory muscles, such as the TFL and superficial fibers of the gluteus maximus, are not active. Can you challenge your dancer to use this technique in first position?
Remember to address any other potential bio mechanical influences as well as manage the overall loading of tissues (Rathleff 2016) as the dancer continues participating in dance activity.
Good luck in the year ahead!
The way you explained the topic was very clear and helpful, especially in breaking down how turn-out reeducation can support dancers dealing with knee pain. I appreciate how practical and informative the insights were. I recently came across a similar discussion on a review blog, and it offered an interesting perspective as well, along with a brief mention of fake certificate in context of broader educational discussions, which added an unexpected but thought-provoking angle.
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This was a very insightful and practical post. The way you explained the connection between turnout technique and knee health was especially helpful, and it’s clear that a lot of expertise went into this. I recently came across a similar discussion on a review blog make a high school diploma, Dancers at all levels can benefit from understanding these fundamentals, and your guidance makes it approachable without oversimplifying the issue.
This is such an informative and practical guide for dancers dealing with knee pain. Understanding hip strength and proper turnout mechanics can truly make a difference in injury prevention and performance. Just like taking care of physical health matters thoughtful gestures like send send Mother’s Day flowers online in texas also show care and appreciation at the right time.
Very informative and well explained piece. The focus on hip external rotators and proper turnout mechanics is extremely valuable for preventing knee pain in young dancers. Educational content like this shows how expert knowledge, just like Content Marketing in Dubai, can guide people toward better long term results.