Nina Dobrev Did Not Let Her Knee Injury Hinder Her from Rocking the Hottest Shoe of the Summer

Nina Dobrev is making a strong case for the return of ballet flats.

The 35-year-old actress appeared at the June 14 screening of her new movie Reunion sporting one of summer's trendiest styles that just so happens to also be extremely comfortable. To complete her all-black look — which consisted of a bra, blazer and miniskirt — Dobrev wore Australian-based brand Bared Footwear's Surfbird Black Leather Ballet Flats.

The square-toed Mary Janes are constructed to be supportive and reduce foot pain which is particularly helpful for the Vampire Diaries alum, who is recovering from a knee injury and walked with crutches at the premiere.

Founded by podiatrist Anna Baird, Bared Footwear's goal is to create supportive, stylish shoes. "The secret is in our footbed, this little bundle of cushioned comfort provides all-day support with every perfectly shaped contour," the brand's website explains. "The arch shape is designed to aid foot function and reduce pressure on the heel, while the heel cup cradles the heel providing next-level support.

"The REUNION screening was a success!" Dobrev captioned an Instagram post from June 26, which also included photos from the event. "And it got me out of sweatpants and out of the house (but still on crutches) at night for the first time in months! I was BEYOND exhausted after, and my knee was super swollen, but getting to watch the film with a live audience and hearing their laughter was WORTH IT!"

In May, Dobrev shared that she was recovering from a bike accident. She posted two Instagram photos on her feed; one of herself on a bike prior to the accident and the other showing the star laying in a hospital bed with a brace on her neck and knee, and an IV in her arm.

She wrote in the caption: “how it started vs how it’s going.” 

In her Instagram Stories, Dobrev posted a selfie of herself in the hospital bed and a message that read, "I’m ok but it’s going to be a long road of recovery ahead."

She later shared that she was "nervous" to undergo surgery after the accident, but that it had been successful.

During the Wednesday, June 12 episode of The Talk, the actress revealed that the injury occurred while she was "dirt biking for the first time" and that she had surgery on her ACL, meniscus, and fractured knee.

"I don't recommend it, guys. It's okay, I learned a lesson, don't ever get on a dirt bike. I was in a wheely, lost control, whisky throttled, bike flew," recalled Dobrev. "Luckily, it didn't fall on me, which is what the doctor said would have been a lot worse. But when I landed, I landed on one leg, straight, and my knee just like snapped."

On her Instagram Stories a few days later, the actress shared that she was using a CPM machine and undergoing physical therapy as part of her recovery. A CPM Machine — short for continuous passive motion — is a motorized device that “gently bends a joint back and forth to aid with recovery following a joint injury or surgery,” Verywell Health explains. 

“In case you’ve been wondering what I’ve been up to,” Dobrev wrote over a series of four photos. “Eat. Sleep. CPM Machine. Physical Therapy. Repeat.”