This past month was somewhat eventful.
Although I did not go to San Diego for American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting this year, in OKC we had two symposium (geroscience, web of life). There were two two-day online webinar courses. I was finishing up writing two manuscripts. Oh, my.
I have been attending dance parties on weekends as well. I am fine while dancing. But I am making changes in how I treat my knees.
For a couple of months, it went like this.
(a) On weekend I dance for a couple of nights, 3-4 hours/night. Enjoying it.
(b) But afterwards, my knees hurt. Not with full on swelling or anything, but a nuisance.
(c) I give them some rest for a few days.
(d) The pain goes.
(e) I can dance for the next weekend.
(f) Back to (a).
Obviously, this is not a great cycle. I got to change my way of using my knees.
The cause is simple; strain to ligaments/tendons by overuse.
My body usage for dancing is based on two dances; (1) Argentine Tango (plant on axis and pivot) and (2) West Coast Swing (walk, for which weight shift to the other weight-carrying leg in the end of given two counts, and triple step, for which you stay on the same weight-carrying leg).
Argentine Tango is the dance I practice more. AT is more technical dance and requires fine balancing and controlled pivoting on my axis leg.
When you want to take a step, a key is how you shift your own body weight. One way to do it efficiently is to relax knee and use the body weight to "fall" toward the direction I want to go.
The fall-based "walk" is an efficient body usage and is used by many athletes (esp. basketball, soccer, martial artists).
But the thing is, if you relax your knee and fall to wrong (or suboptimal) direction for too many times, it can give strain to tendons and ligaments in the knee.
Unlike muscles that are easily gotten tired, tendons and ligaments are connective tissues and transmit mechanical force through them without much complaints. But with overuse or with stretching to suboptimal direction, they can take microinjury, inflame, and hurt.
My knee sending warning pain is likely because my preparation for pivot is insufficient. With the diagnosis, I am working on adding extra caution to position my foot correctly for cleaner pivot on my forefoot, so that I do not strain my knee while pivoting.
Another likely cause is (hate to admit but) my knees are getting old and can take less strain than before. I got to be easier on my knees.
In addition to work on the usage, I bought a few knee braces and testing which ones work well for dancing or for extra support. Also bought gel ice packs for icing after dancing or walk/jog.
Read controversy on supplements, but I picked up a bottle of Glucosamine and Chondroitin anyway.
I have to use my body to dance. Got to be kind to my body, so that it can serve me well.
