ouch!!!

[Guest Medora]

Hi everyone. A couple months ago I rolled in on my knee and hurt it. Luckily after a few days of RICE it was better and within a week it felt normal again. But ever since then it has felt more vulnerable to the same injury happening again, like the joint is looser in the socket. Then in July I was steping around my room (not really dancing or anything, just sort of walking you know), and it gave out and I went to the floor. I couldn't move it at all without extreme pain. When I finally forced myself to stand up, it twisted back into place and I could use it again, although it was really sore the next day. This week I began a two week summer intensive and have been doing 6 to 6.5 hours of ballet a day. Today was the third day, and this morning in a grand allegro combination I did something and it gave out, I crawled to the edge of the floor and that's where I stayed. Once again I couldn't move without a lot of pain and the pain hasn't gone away and tonight I can barely walk. It feels like it is sprained, but I don't know what i did in that combination for my life! It hurts on the inside lower part of my knee. I know that my legs aren't exactly aligned straight from hip to ankle in the way that they're built, if that makes any sense, but the less aligned leg is actually the one that hasn't been hurt. Is it possible that the first injury could have weakened my knee? I don't know if being hyperextended could add to this? I think my parents are going to take me to the doctor tomorrow, and I want to go, but at the same time I don't because I don't want him to tell me I can't dance. I just didn't know if maybe someone had seen a similar situation before, or had it happen to them.

[Mel Johnson]

You've developed what used to be called a "trick knee". It goes along fine and then, without warning, it gives out. Since there's pain associated with it, the doctor is the right place to go. Continue RICE as a first aid until you get there. Follow what s/he advises to the letter. And remember the first letter of RICE stands for "Rest" so, you should be already doing that!