Internal Rotation Knee Injury during Ballroom Dance

Abstract

Dance injuries associated with internal rotation of the leg are unusual and the injuries observed in ballet, modern, and aerobic dance are often associated with the externally rotated (turned out) or neutral (parallel) positions. This report presents a case of an international-style ballroom dancer who sustained a strain to the popliteus tendon without lateral meniscus tear during execution of the syncopated spin, a dance figure involving internal rotation of the leg. Tansient locking of the knee occurred. Pain was located at the posterolateral knee. Examination showed posterolateral joint line tenderness and pain with active external rotation of the flexed knee. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed effusion around the popliteus tendon. The patient recovered with activity limitation over several weeks. The case demonstrates that ballroom dance activity may result in an internal rotation injury to the knee, an injury that is uncommon in other dance forms.