Health guide

Dance Injury Prevention — What the Research Says

The most common dance injuries, risk factors and evidence-based prevention, with links to the latest PubMed research.

Dancers are athletes. Studies of pre-professional and professional dancers consistently find high rates of lower-extremity injury — especially ankles, feet, knees, hips and the lower back. Most injuries are overuse injuries that build up over time.

Common dance injuries

Ankle sprains, Achilles and flexor hallucis longus tendinopathy (common in ballet), stress fractures, patellofemoral pain, hip impingement and labral tears, and low back pain.

Prevention that works

  • Gradual increases in training load, especially before performances and competitions.
  • Strength and conditioning — calves, hips and core — on top of technique class.
  • Correct turnout from the hips rather than forcing it at the knees and feet.
  • Adequate nutrition and sleep; low energy availability raises stress-fracture risk.
  • Proper flooring (sprung floors) and properly fitted shoes.
  • Early reporting of pain and access to dance-medicine professionals.

Find specialists

The International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS) and Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA) list clinicians who understand dancers. See our research digests for recent studies.

Recent studies

Injury Prevention

Ballet Injuries

Foot And Ankle

FAQ

What is the most common dance injury?

Studies most often report ankle and foot injuries as the most common in dancers, followed by the knee, hip and lower back.

Updated October 2026 · How we research