| *** 1. Knees that angle in toward each other, with the | | | | details are described well elsewhere. Suffice it to say |
| feet facing straight forward; this is called tibial torsion. | | | | they are held in place by muscles, ligaments and |
| You can also see this clearly if you sit on a table and | | | | tendons, and when healthy, all the moving parts glide |
| let the calves and feet dangle over the edge. Here | | | | and move well. The knees bend and straighten a zillion |
| your knees are straight in front of your thighs, and the | | | | times for dancers and sports enthusiasts, without |
| lower part of the leg turns out. | | | | mishap, if used correctly.. |
| Compensation for this is understanding and using your | | | | Turnout enables easy pivoting to change direction |
| turnout from the hips, as best you can, and never | | | | without straining the knees. Many athletes now study |
| allowing pronation, or "rolling ankles". It is easy for legs | | | | basic ballet and turnout to prevent knee injuries. |
| like this to get a good turnout in the foot positions, but it | | | | A sharp pain in the knee, a pop, any clicking or feeling |
| should be worked to get the leg as close as possible | | | | of impeded movement around or under the knee |
| to postural plumb line. | | | | warrants an immediate pause. Any dance teacher or |
| ***2. Knock knees is when the knees face forward | | | | sports coach will want you to get it looked at by a |
| when the feet are parallel, but the inside of the knees | | | | chiropractor or sports medicine practitioner right away. |
| touch and the feet are apart on the floor, a little turned | | | | Tears can occur in the tendons, ligaments and other |
| out, and slightly pronated (rolled in). | | | | supportive tissue around the knee. Usually ice and rest |
| ***3. Bowed legs. This where the knees turn in slightly | | | | will reduce the inflammation and heal theses injuries. |
| and the outside of the calves bow outwards. The feet | | | | Sometimes tissue will tear off and go under the |
| can rest comfortably close together. The feet may | | | | kneecap, and this must be removed. |
| also pronate slightly, yet will come to a correct position, | | | | Normal growth in kids and teens can cause |
| flat on the floor, when the turnout is held well in the hips | | | | imbalances in muscle flexibility and strength which can |
| and thighs. This may straighten out the whole leg in | | | | lead to injuries and inflammation from overuse. Regular |
| some cases. | | | | stretching and relaxing efficiently with the help of a |
| ***4. Hyper-extended legs, where the knees go | | | | soft rubber ball rolled on tight muscles, can help this |
| beyond straight and the calves sway backwards. This | | | | temporary condition. |
| will pull the body weight back onto the heels, and the | | | | Correct turnout, foot strength in landings, in fact all ballet |
| thighs will turn in as a result (which can lead to tears | | | | position placement, helps protect the knee joints. A |
| around the knee). The correction of stacking the ankle, | | | | sprung floor is also essential, rather than dancing over |
| knee and hips above each other along the plumb line, | | | | concrete. |
| strengthens the legs. It also corrects the weight on the | | | | If you are a serious ballet student or athlete, take a |
| whole foot, and keeps the body weight forward | | | | look at the anatomy of the knee structure. It is brilliant, |
| enough. Uncorrected, this will lead to other complexities | | | | and you'll see clearly why you are taught the way you |
| of technical inaccuracies, especially in doing ballet on | | | | are, to prevent knee injuries in ballet shoes and pointe |
| pointe, if they do not show up before that. | | | | shoes, or on the fields and courts. |
| The knees are wonderfully engineered joints. The | | | | |