Common problems for ballet dancers: Hip and knee joint pain
Hello, my name is Sato and I run J-CLINIC, a physiotherapy and acupuncture clinic in Bangkok.
We see many ballet dancers at J-CLINIC, and a common complaint is pain in both the hip and knee joints. In this post, I will discuss the causes and treatments for such pain, based on an actual case.
A patient case
Twenty-year-old Ms. M has been dancing classical ballet for 10 years. Two months before a performance, she felt pain in her right hip.
Pain gradually began to appear also in her right knee, at which point she came to J-CLINIC for help.
J-CLINIC’s diagnosis
We checked Ms. M’s movements and pain and identified two causes of her hip pain.
(1) Overuse of her right leg
Because her left leg was weaker, Ms. M more often used the right leg as the pivot, which placed an extra burden on the right leg.
(2) Incorrect muscle use for internal and external leg rotation
Ms. M was using her muscles incorrectly to maintain leg turnout in the five basic ballet positions. This strained her right hip.
The knee pain was likely caused by the strain of shielding the right hip joint while dancing.
Given these causes, J-CLINIC’s treatment for Ms. M comprised:
Manual therapy(Deep tissue massage）
Deep-tissue massage to relax muscle tension and adjust your body balance
Motion & manipulation (M&M)
Motion & manipulation therapy to improve hip- and knee-joint motion．
Acupuncture
Acupuncture improves blood flow to the stiff muscle tissue that is causing you pain and limiting your range of motion. The improved blood flow will flush out the pain-producing substances collecting in the stiff areas. It also relieves tension in joints and muscle ligaments, giving you better a range of motion and relief from pain.
Ultrasound and high voltage therapy
Ultrasound and high voltage therapy promotes cellular repair. It speeds up healing and relieves pain.
Advice on stretching and other exercises
After the pain goes down, we will teach you exercises that you can do at home and self-care tips to prevent your injury from recurring.
Ms. M continued her ballet lessons for the two months leading up to her performance while being treated twice a week at J-CLINIC, and she was able to perform as planned.
In movements such as relevé, where a dancer goes up on her toes, the hips, knees, and ankles align themselves along the same axis, which makes it common for pain or strain in one area to trigger pain in another.
It’s therefore important to seek treatment as soon as possible if you have pain or discomfort in your body.
For many dancers and athletes, overuse and fatigue are common causes of injuries. You can also get fatigue recovery care at J-CLINIC before and after lessons and important performances, so please come over for a consultation!
📞For Booking
- Phrom Phong: 097-257-3577
- Thonglor: 084-424-1299
- Ekkamai: 097-245-7863
Treatments for shoulder pains
- Shoulder muscle sprain
- Shoulder rotator cuff injuries
- Biceps tendinitis
- shoulder impingement syndrome
- Shoulder tendonitis
Past cases
- Physical therapy for ballet dancers
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- Treating sciatica
- Treating frozen shoulder
- Physical therapy for kendo practitioners
- Treating weight-training injuries
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What physical pains can be treated at J-CLINIC?
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Physical therapy
lower back pain, stiff shoulders, sciatica, headaches, knee pain, sprains, pulled muscles, whiplash, post-fracture rehabilitation and injuries from sports and accidents．
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Acupuncture treatment
PMS, irregular periods, insomnia, orthopedic diseases, headache, cosmetic acupuncture, eye strain, gastrointestinal problems.
Our branches in Sukhumvit road
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Phrom Phong Branch (Sukhumvit 31, RSU Tower Floor4)
From BTS Phrom Phong Station, take Exit 5 and walk along Sukhumvit towards Asoke for about 5 minutes. RSU Tower will be on your right. Take the escalator up to Floor 4 and you will see us right in front of you. If you are coming by car, parking is available at RSU Tower and is free up to 2 hours when you are treated at J-CLINIC.
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Thonglor Branch (Soi Thonglor 13, Home Place building Basement Level)
Our Thonglor clinic is on the basement level of Home Place Building, at the corner of Sukhumvit Soi 55 and Thonglor Soi 13.
If you are coming by BTS, please take a taxi from BTS Thonglor Station, Exit 3.
If you are coming by car, parking is available at Home Place Building and is free up to 4 hours when you are treated at J-CLINIC. -
Ekkamai Branch (Sukhumvit 42, Bangkok Mediplex Floor 3)
Bangkok Mediplex is a general medical mall on Sukhumvit Soi 42, across from Gateway Ekkamai and directly connected to BTS Ekkamai Station. J-CLINIC Ekkamai branch will be on the 3rd floor of Mediplex.
If you come from BTS Ekkamai Station, go through exit 2. It connects directly to Bangkok Mediplex. Take the escalator up to the 3rd floor and you will see our clinic on your right.
