Are there exercises to get your knees to go back for that straight line look?

My daughter has trouble with getting her knees back when she dances.
They seem to pop out. Any quick fixes?

July 16, 2006 | In Questions |

8 Comments »

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  1. Some people have inverted knee caps which make them look like they are going back. I don’t and I have to keep pulling up my thigh muscles. Do leg lifts for inner and outer thigh strength.

    Comment by lisa — July 19, 2006 #

  2. If you mean that your daughters knees look slightly bent when she feels that they are straight it is most likely due to some tightness in the hamstrings. It could also be caused by her quadriceps being strong in comparison to her hamstrings.

    If stretching her hamstrings isn’t helping I would try some strengthening exercises. Get her to lie on her stomach, attach some light ankle weights to her ankle & get to bend her knees to 90 degrees & lower them back down. This will help to strengthen her muscles.

    Happy Dancing

    Anita

    Comment by Anita — July 31, 2006 #

  3. also remember that some people are hyperextended - when they straighten their legs completely, their knees kinda go back more. it’s just a natural thing for them.

    Comment by firebirdjewel — August 29, 2006 #

  4. I don’t dance - I’ve been doing synchronized swimming for 8 years.. And believe it or not knee extention is even more emphasized than it is in dance.

    Excersizes we do for knee extention:

    1. Sit on the ground with your legs raised slightly (2-5 inches) and have someone sit or put pressure on your knees. This will help create the flexebility that is needed.

    2. Sit on the ground and extend your knees really hard so that your knees are on the ground but your heels come off it. (If your knees cannot hyperextend that far, extend your knees as far as they go but imagine them comming off) hold this for 15-30 seconds and repeat a few times, doing it both with feet pointed and with feet flexed.

    3. Same as number two.. but extend your feet really hard while switching between flexed feet and pointed feet. This can be done at varying speeds, and also works the toe point.

    Those are the three main excersizes that help. Like flexibility, knee extention has a lot to do with genetics, and progresses slowly (there is no “quick fix”) but I’ve seen drastic improvements. My own knees used to be terribly bent and my coach would yell at me over it all the time… Over the years I’ve done this and my knees now hyper-extend considerably.

    Comment by Sarah — August 30, 2006 #

  5. I am 11 and my knees kind look a little popped out but just because I am skinny. My knees don’t pop out a lot when they’re straight. Maybe she isn’t locking her kneecaps?

    Comment by Charity — January 13, 2007 #

  6. most kids’ bones grow faster then their muscles. for some the resulting tightness in their leg muscles means their knees don’t go all the way straight. usually if they stretch these muscles, especially the hamstring and calf muscles, the knees will eventually be able to straighten. it won’t be quick though, sometimes it takes two or three years for the muscles to catch up with the bones.

    Comment by Marissa — January 14, 2007 #

  7. If she feels they are straight,and they woln’t go back any further,don’t push them. She may have hypo-extended kneed wich makes them look bent when they really aren’t.Please do not fight what she has been given,but help her accept it. But if hypo-extension is not the cause,then it may just be her muscles are tight. Check with your doctor.

    Comment by Avie' — January 15, 2007 #

  8. Have you seen a doctor or some sort of specialist who may be able to help? i really don’t know much about this but i am really interested

    Comment by Ashley — January 19, 2007 #

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