Your knee has started aching, and jumps, pliés, lunges or quick turns now come with a twinge. When dancing is how you stay active or unwind, sitting it out can feel like a big loss. Adapting your moves for a while can help you keep dancing while your knee settles.

Why dancing can affect your knee

Many dance styles ask your knees to bend deeply, land from jumps and twist while your foot stays on the floor. Pliés, lunges, deep squats and kneeling floor work all load the knee, especially the front around the kneecap. Turning on a planted foot, as in pivots and spins, can twist the knee too.

When you dance more than usual, start a new style or prepare for a performance, the load can rise faster than your knee can adapt. In most cases, the knee is irritated rather than damaged.

Moves to adapt for now

Some ideas for adapting the moves that tend to bother a sore knee:

• Deep pliés and squats. Keep the bend smaller, staying above where it hurts.
• Jumps and leaps. Make them smaller, or march or step instead.
• Turns and pivots. Lift your heel slightly so your foot can turn with you, rather than twisting through your knee.
• Kneeling and floor work. Use knee pads, or adapt to sitting or standing versions.
• Lunges. Keep them shallow, with your knee over your foot.

In ballet, turning out only as far as your hips allow, rather than forcing your feet, can ease the twist on your knees.

Moves that often feel comfortable

Much of your dancing can carry on:

• Arm work and upper body styling.
• Stepping and travelling moves at a comfortable range.
• Moves with a soft, small knee bend.
• Slower routines and technique work.

Notice which moves feel comfortable and which bring on pain, and adapt accordingly.

Talking to your teacher

If you go to a class, letting your teacher know your knee is sore means they can suggest alternatives. Marking a movement, doing a smaller version, is a normal part of dance and a good way to keep learning the routine.

Your floor and shoes

Hard floors can add to the jolt through your knees on landing. A sprung floor, where possible, can feel kinder. Dance shoes or trainers with some cushioning can help for styles where they suit.

Reading how your knee responds

A simple traffic-light check can guide your dancing:

• Green. No pain, or a mild ache that settles within an hour. Carry on.
• Amber. An ache that lingers into the evening but has settled by the next morning. Keep dancing at the same level rather than adding more.
• Red. Your knee is sorer, stiffer or more swollen the next morning. Ease back next session.

Adjusting your sessions

While your knee settles, some changes to your dancing may help:

• Choose shorter or gentler classes, like beginner or technique classes.
• Take breaks during longer sessions or rehearsals.
• Avoid back-to-back classes for a while.

Warming up

A thorough warm-up helps your knee feel ready. Something to try:

• March or step gently on the spot for a few minutes.
• Small, slow knee bends.
• Leg swings forwards and backwards.
• Gentle heel raises.

Building strength

Strengthening the muscles around your hips and knees helps your knee cope with dancing. Research on pain around the kneecap suggests combining hip and knee strengthening works better than knee exercises alone. Something to try two or three times a week:

• Sit to stand. Rise from a chair without using your hands, then lower slowly.
• Bridges. Lie on your back with your knees bent, lift your hips, then lower slowly.
• Side-lying leg lifts. Lie on your side and slowly lift your top leg, then lower.
• Heel raises. Rise onto your toes, pause, then lower slowly.

If you would like to follow along, VIDA has short videos of sit to stands, bridges and heel raises you can use at your own pace.

Everyday knee care

Long spells of sitting with your knees bent can make a sore knee stiff. Straightening your legs every so often, or getting up for a short walk, helps. Taking stairs one step at a time, leading with your stronger leg going up, can feel easier for now.

Building back up

When your knee has been in the green for a week or so, you can start bringing back deeper bends, jumps and turns, one at a time. Your VIDA pain check-in is a good way to keep track of how your knee responds.

What to take away

• Deep bends, jumps and twisting turns can load a sore knee.
• Keep bends smaller and lift your heel in turns.
• Let your teacher know and mark moves that feel uncomfortable.
• Use the traffic-light check to guide each session.
• Strengthen your hips and knees and build back gradually.

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