Big knees

[pasdedeuxmama]

My son very recently started to take a beginners ballet class at 10 years old. He's very slender in general, but he is constantly complaining that his knees are too big! In first position he has trouble fitting his heels together, as his knees touch before his heels do. He's not knock-kneed, though he is slightly pigeon toed, which we've seen an orthopedist for. It's apparently something he'll outgrow, but the doc gave him an orthotic to wear in his shoes to help it along. I've told him that his knees just seem to have grown before the rest of his legs, because I'm at a loss. Has anyone else had experience with this problem? How should he adjust so that his poor knees don't bang together (which hurts) when he is taking class?

[Victoria Leigh]

Are his knees hyperextended, pasdedeuxmama? If so, when he turns out his legs, straightens them, and tries to put them together in first position, they would be together while his heels are not all the way into first position. If this is the case, it is something his teacher should immediately recognize and teach him how to deal with it.

[pasdedeuxmama]

No, I don't think he is hyperextended, though I'll look when he's next wearing tights. I think the matter is solved by turning out his legs from the hip; however, he's in an ABT NTC-fashioned class for new students. Many exercises at the barre are being done in parallel, which is when he's having such trouble.