So I went to the orthopaedic surgeon, who told me the opposit of what the resident-not-official-doctor person. She said to keep doing my strengthening excersices and taking my medicine, and that I could dance, but start with barre, and do jumps and pointe last. My knees have feeling better, and I do small stuff at home to keep in practice (since Doc gave the O.K.). She said she wouldn't give me a time frame, however, and I want to know how long it usually takes to get over a sprain. The 1st doctor said 3 days, and I've been resting for over two weeks, which she said she usually tells someone with a sprain to do. And doing my strenghtening excersises faithfully, would you, in my position, take pointe class in a week, if your knees felt good? (I'm hoping they've been healing okay cuz I'm still resting when they've been feeling better.)

I apologize if this is a question that I shouldn't be asking here. (I know it depends a lot on how I FEEL, but I don't know if it's okay to dance just because I feel okay.)

Bebounce - since this is sort of a summer break time - with a heavy dance schedule starting in the fall - with possibly some auditions to colleges coming up, if I were you I would take advantage of this time and really give it a rest.<P>You have nothing to lose and a lot of gain. Anytime you turn out - jump - and do anything weight bearing on it in the way of dance, you are "testing" it. Let it heal.

Bebounce, I agree with Basheva. This would be the perfect time to take the time and let it heal. If your doctor said OK to the strengthening exercises, fine, but I wouldn't be doing barre or anything else yet.<P>When you do start back, please do so slowly and gradually. I'd give yourself at least a week to test out barre alone. Then gradually work your way back into centre starting with adagio, then pirouettes. Jump work should come later, and pointe work after that. And this is assuming NO PAIN. As a teacher, I probably would recommend to a student in your situation, holding off on pointe for several weeks after starting back to class.<P>When you are feeling tempted or frustrated, just remember -- you don't want to go through this whole thing again. And you have some potentially exciting times coming up. You want to be in good shape for them, without any chronic knee problems getting in your way.

THanks, y'all. It was getting better, but when I don't move, it feels worse when I move again- then it feels sore. So how do you move and how do you rest? I have been, however, doing the excersices. I'm not sure how it's supposed to feel as it is getting better- does anyone have any kind of experience with this kind of thing?

Sometimes an injury is like that - it gets tight and sore when you don't move - so you have to move with care. Do the exercises that you were shown. If your doctor said it's ok to do normal things like walking, going up stairs (stairs are hard on knees), then you can do that.<P>But don't do anything to strain it like turning out, jumping, running, going down on your knees. <P>You could talk further to the doctor or physiotherapist about these things.