Hi there! I need some advice and opinions...

* In the past year I had an injury on my left leg, and had to pause Ballet practice for about 3 months, due to that, I lost some strength and resistance (not to say balance!).
Not very long ago, I've been feeling again some pain behind the left knee, which gets more intense through the class and it's hard to extend the whole leg, and while holding it above 90º, specially in 'Rond de Jambes en l'air'.

* In some exercises I hold my leg with the help of my hand, although neither me nor my teacher like it very much...I feel I need to gain strength and flexibility but I don't know what to do since I do some basic exercises to prevent losing any more strength...I already spoke with my Ballet teacher who told me some exercises to do at home, but I don't feel any development...

* Any suggestions (of exercises, or procedures)?

Thank you for your time!
xoxo

Have you had a massage for that area? The reason I ask is that often the pain doesn't actually originate in the spot that ends up hurting, but in a spot above or below that. For example, I had a severe behind the knee pain but it turned out my calf was so tight it was radiating to pain behind the knee. Same happened when I thought I had achilles' tendonitis - calf was so tight it felt like it was the achilles, but each time I went to the doctor, he said the achilles was fine. I went for a massage, finally, and the massage therapist worked out and solved the problem.

Good point!
No, I didn't massage the area...and should have been one of my first options since the pain "radiates" to the quadriceps and hamstrings! Thank you!

Should I go to a professional, or is it something I can do by my own?

Definitely go to a professional. Massage therapy to treat knee issues takes knowledge and skill. There are many contraindications involved with massage to this area and someone who does not have the proper training could do more harm than good.

I would recommend seeing a physiotherapist. You are lacking strength nit just dealing with muscle tightness. There is bound to be some muscle imbalance in your leg as a result of the injury and the way you've been working since. A physiotherapist can assess your injury and determine all the components necessary to rehab to a full recovery.

Thank you, Triskit, you're right!
My Ballet teacher gave me a possible explanation to that injury, I'm going to search for a physiotherapist soon!

Thank you!
xoxo

I went to a massage therapist. Now I can do limited treatment on my own but to be honest, it works better when a professional does it.

I know, and agree...but I forgot to refer that I already know how to handle some muscular lesions due to previous sports I practiced, but I should really go to a professional...
Thank you!
xoxo

Are you hyper extended?

No, I don't believe so, Madalyne.
I'm naturally flexible, but not too much, a little nothing above the normal...

[For instance, I tried to do a split in seventh grade for the first time in P.E. and did it without feeling any pain all the way to the floor, and can do over splits.
When I point my feet and fully stretch my legs, they arch a little bit...on the floor, but standing up, I think my legs look quite "unflexible"). In cambrés I can go really deep, but I avoid doing it (as any of you, I suppose) because I delay myself in the music rhythm when going back up.]

But I also am told I don't know how to use all my flexibility :\

Oh, well if you are hyper extended, you could be pushing back too far into it and it could cause pain in the back of your knee. the way to fix that, is to learn how to stretch your legs using your hamstring instead of just locking your knee. The next time you cambre or straighten your knee in any position(even just standing) try feeling like your lifting up in your hips and using your hamstring to straighten your legs instead of locking your joints. If that makes any sense! Hard to explain on the computer!

or, if you're not hyper extended, your hamstring could just be tight. And when muscles are too tight they tend to tighten surrounding tendons causing pain with connecting joints. So, try massaging out your hamstring for at least a good half hour. You could use a tennis ball, or if you have a foam roller or The Stick or even just you hands. It might take some pain away if your muscle is too tight.

But, in general, it sounds to me like your lacking muscle strength in your hamstrings. To build them, start with using your seat muscles. Which means, squeezing your butt when you do everything. And I mean everything. When your in plies and tendus and pirouettes. Everything, try to use your butt to do all the work and eventually when that gets strong it will connect down to your hamstrings and you'll start to engage your hamstrings and your butt muscles. And then, once your hamstrings are engaged it will connect your inner thighs and those will start to activate. Everythinng in the body is connected. So, try massaging your hamstrings or building them. Good luck!

Hi,Madalyne!

I'm not hyper extended, still, I do lock my knee while stretching my leg! I know I do it, because it was a bad habit I created to maintain my leg fully extended while over one leg only, because sometimes I felt it was not fully stretched...even my teacher corrected me about this, and since then I tried to change the way I stretch my legs, still, I always go back to the same...

You remembered my about this one issue!

My hamstrings are strong enough, still, I can also work a little bit more!

Thank you, I understood the "try feeling like your lifting up in your hips and using your hamstring to straighten your legs instead of locking your joints." it was a nice tip! I'm going to try it soon!

Thank you so much!!