“Pop!” The dreaded sound haunted sophomore Myla Harris during a dance competition on Feb. 16, 2024. 

Her first injury, a left meniscus tear, was not the only pain that came to Harris that year. Two months later, in April, Harris tore her right meniscus. She had both repaired during surgeries her freshman year. She was eventually cleared to dance part of her freshman and sophomore years, but suffered another injury in January 2026.

“I recovered and got cleared Feb. 3 of my freshman year,” Harris said. “And then I was good for a year and hurt it this year.”

Harris, despite her injuries, is still a dancer involved with the JV Silver Stars. Harris also participates in studio dance. Her knee has caused many restrictions on what she can do, however.she still works with the team.

“Well, (her knees) forced her to sit out for a majority of the year, so she hasn’t been dancing,” assistant dance coach coach Rachel Barnett said. “She’s just had to sit, watch, and give some of her peers feedback.”

Harris went through months of grueling physical therapy and felt excruciating pain, especially when she had to get scar tissue massages. Harris did physical therapy on both sides of her knee until she could bear 100% of her weight on each leg. She spent about nine months in physical therapy. 

Harris still feels pain from the physical therapy and surgeries. She had to get a part of her meniscus cut off, which led to the worst pain throughout the process.

“When they cut it, they sliced some nerves and (the nerves are) still in the process of growing, but they’re very, very sensitive,” Harris said. “I really hope that if I do need surgery (again), that doesn’t happen to my right knee, because it took a really long time to desensitize my knee.”

Harris has faced a large quantity of mental pressure from her injury. Harris said she felt very needy, especially after her first surgery and did not like relying on other people. Her mom helped her the most through the whole process.

Harris’s best friend, Elizabeth Goians has also stuck with her throughout her process and has noticed how the injuries have caused a strain.

“She really wants to keep dancing, and it’s kind of been a very stressful thing and mental strain on her, and it’s making her feel really down,” Goians said.

Harris missed the entire dance competition season for Silver Stars and has faced a new tear, which is either a bucket handle tear, or slice, which is a less severe tear. Harris does not yet know what injury she has, and is getting a repair over the summer. 

“There’s been a whole bunch of miscommunication with (doctors),” Harris said. “If it’s a slice, then I will probably not need surgery and probably get stem cells because that is a two-week recovery, so it’s most ideal.”

Harris hopes going forward to not reinjure her meniscus to avoid potentially having to get it removed. 

“She doesn’t like the fact that she can’t run and jump, and she will try to go off of her crutches and do things before the doctors say,” Goians said. “She really doesn’t like to be limited to anything.”

Her most recent injury has left her making frequent visits to the athletic trainer to get her knee taped before attempting moves. 

Harris, instead of dancing her junior year, intends to do choir and participate in the Madrigals. Harris plans to recover before Madrigals start their performance season in December.

“I know she’s had some problems with knee because of dance and injuries,” choir director Christine Donley said. “And I know it impacts her in the sense that, physically, it’s hard for her to stand and walk sometimes, and so that does impact her. But what I do notice about her is that even when it’s hurting, she tries to work through it.”

Harris hopes to be able to continue dancing in the future, but wants to facilitate a proper recovery for her knee. 

Harris, despite all of her injuries and tears, has persevered and stayed strong in not giving up. She hopes in the future to take better care of her meniscus to avoid worse complications.

“(I hope) that I don’t get arthritis,” Harris said, “(and) that they don’t have to remove my meniscus altogether.”