Zumba is a great way to burn calories and have fun. But, people new to Zumba sometimes experience knee pain. If you experience knee pain from Zumba, here are a couple solutions.
More: Reach Your Fitness Goals With Zumba
Torquing
The technical term for the knee pain you experience in class is called torquing. Torquing occurs when your knees face different directions than your toes are pointing. It's a disjointed movement that causes much pain. Your tendons are struggling to keep your knee firmly in place and all that wear and tear eventually translates into knee pain. If you're not careful, it can turn into chronic knee pain as well.
More: 4 Ways to Prevent a Knee Injury
What to Do?
While there is no rule about what shoes to wear in Zumba, a regular running shoe may be causing you knee pain. Shoes specific to Zumba, or dance, are better shoes to wear because of the sole. Running shoes are made to firmly grip the ground and are great support for the constant forward movement. But, in Zumba you move in various directions at different tempo speeds. If your shoe doesn't allow you to move fluidly, then your knees may start to hurt.
If you don't want to purchase Zumba shoes, you might want to consider getting Slip-On Dancers. Slip-On Dancers are made specifically to go around your sneakers to 'transform' them into better dance shoes. You can find them online at www.slipondancers.com.
Another Option
Get to Zumba class early so you can score a spot in front of the mirror. Watch yourself as you dance to see if you're doing any movements wrong. Pay attention to your knees to see what moves may cause mis-alignment. It may be a little intimidating to be in the front of the class, but it will help you tremendously.
More: What are the Fitness Benefits of a Zumba Class?
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