Patellofemoral Dance

Dance is meant to look effortless. It takes years of intense training to obtain the muscles and technique needed to look light as a feather. Ballet technique forms the backbone of every style of dance and it is vital that every dancer possesses it. Repetition of movements not done with perfect technique can have detrimental effects. Not possessing perfect technique can cause the muscles to form wrong, hurting your chances at looking effortless, or could cause a serious injury, such as a break or sprain. The majority of the injuries in dancers occur in the lower half of the body, notably the lower back, knees, and feet. Serious enough injuries can lead to lifelong conditions that can only be managed, not cured. In this essay, accessory bones,

This syndrome is caused by improper placement of the hips and the lack of using the gluteal muscle, thus putting strain on the weakest spot of the leg, the knee (Source 6). If a dance does not make their hips square or does not tuck their pelvis, it throws the dancer off balance. To compensate for being off- balanced, the immediate reaction is to lock the knee joint, creating excessive friction of the kneecap against the cartilage. Also, dancers who tend to be hyperextended are more prone to patellofemoral pain syndrome. When up on releve, hyperextended dancers’ natural reaction is to hyperextend and lock the knee joint to create a straight leg. This causes the hips to not be over the leg, thus causing strain and friction on the kneecap. Unfortunately there is no way to stop the pain, it can only be managed. Common treatments are icing, physical therapy, stretching, and wearing a brace. Fixing the improper placing can also help no further damage to ensue. Eventually, dancers may develop arthritis in the knee as well as other joints around the body due to the excessive wear and tear on the joints. To end, patellofemoral pain syndrome is caused by improper technique and can lead to pain lasting a lifetime.

In summation, it is vital that a dancer possesses technique as so not to hurt themselves. The safety of the dance steps is much more important than creating the desired image. The downtime that comes along with these conditions can be long and frustrating and is not worth using improper technique to create a more appealing line. To conclude, using preventative steps can not only help dancers, it can help athletes across the