Dance Knee Pads: 4 Reasons Why They are Essential in a Pole Exotic Routine
Pole dancing may be an exciting form of performance art but it does put a lot of pressure on your knees! One of the best ways to protect your knees is by wearing dance knee pads, particularly when doing an exotic flow.
They protect your knees from injuries caused by hitting an obstacle, falling to the ground, or from the harmful effects of extended kneeling such as in exotic flow. Gel knee pads help diffuse all sorts of impact on your knees.
Read on to know more about the types of knee injuries when pole dancing and how to prevent them.
How do dance knee pads protect you when pole dancing?
Whether new to pole dancing or you have been doing it for some time, knee pads are vital when doing exotic flow.
Oftentimes, you may slip off and hit the ground as you learn to execute a particular pole trick. And when you injure, fracture, or dislocate your knees - you won’t be able to stand, walk, or run as you normally would.
Knee pads for dance protect your knees from a potentially devastating injury during pole dancing. Also, the padding protects your knees from carpet burn and bruising against hard floors.
What are the common knee injuries associated with dancing?
1. Meniscus Tear
A torn meniscus results from a trauma caused by twisting a knee or landing a jump during dancing or any athletic activity. You will notice your joints are ‘locking up’ or your knee’s range of motion becomes limited.
On a minor tear, you may not feel any pain during an injury. While on a major tear, your knees will become swollen and you might immediately feel intense pain.
2. MCL or Medial Collateral Ligament Tear
Medial Collateral Ligament tear is one of the common knee injuries that happens after a dancer performs repeated stopping movements, turning or twisting, and jumping. Major MCL tears range from stretching of the tissue to a rupture of the entire ligament.
You will immediately feel knee pain that may last for several hours. Moreover, you might feel your knee becomes unstable and its range of motion becomes limited.
3. ACL or Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears
ACL or Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears are knee injuries that range from minor tears to ruptures of the entire ligament. ACL tears happen when you execute a sudden movement or when you land a jump. As a result, your knees are forced to twist unnaturally.
The common sign of an ACL tear is when you hear a “pop” sound and instantly notice pain and instability on your knees.
Jumper’s Knee is an irritation and inflammation of the tendons and surrounding tissues due to overuse. Jumping activities often lead to Patellar Tendonitis, hence the name “jumper’s knee”.
How do I prevent knee injury and knee pain?
The muscles, tendons, and ligaments help stabilize and support your knee joint. If any of them becomes weak there’s a likelihood that your knee joint can easily get injured. Here’s what you should do to avoid injuries and pain.
1. Keep Your Muscles Strong
Strong muscles protect your joints by maintaining proper bone alignment and through equal distribution of pressure. Strong hip, butt, and legs are excellent at taking the pressure off your knees.
2. Always do “warm-up” exercises
A proper “warm-up” exercise can help reduce the risk of knee injuries during a pole workout.
3. Maintain Good Form
Maintaining good form whenever you exercise means using the right muscles to prevent extra pressure on your joints.
4. Never forget to perform “cool down” exercises after a workout
Always perform stretching exercises after every workout or pole session. Make sure to give time for “cool down” exercises as this will give your muscles and joints a chance to recover.
5. Always wear knee pads during floor work and rehearsals
Repetitive kneeling on hard surfaces can damage the bursae, which acts like a cushion that protects your tendons and ligaments. And as mentioned above, knee pads are necessary especially when you frequently fall to the ground during rehearsals.
How do I choose pole dancing knee pads?
If you are just starting to learn pole dancing, you’ll be doing only floor work routines and so knee pads that are like sleeves with no back opening would work perfectly fine.
Floor work and pole combination
If you are practicing both floor work and pole moves, choose a pair of dance knee pads with a back opening. The padding will protect your knees from all sorts of impact while the opening allows the back of your knees to grip on the pole.
Things to consider when choosing dance knee pads:
Is the material breathable?
Knee pads with a breathable material prevent your knees from too much sweating, especially if you’re wearing them for a long time.
Is it easy to maintain?
Do you have to hand wash it or is it machine-washable?
Is it comfortable to wear?
Dance knee pads shouldn’t be too bulky or too tight. They shouldn’t restrict your movement. Better yet, read this knee pads size guide.
Final Thoughts!
Dance knee pads are knee protection gears you can use during pole dancing sessions. They protect your knees from the bruising and impact from falling to the ground during rehearsals. Make sure you wear your pair especially when starting out!