Dance floor injuries that made you stop dancing for a while

Former DP and I both had sprained ankles that kept us out for a few months. Unfortunately, they were basically sequential. Hers happened from tripping on something while practicing, mine from a bad foot landing while hiking.

I twisted the muscles in my left foot when I didn't land properly doing a Paso Doble jump. I couldn't dance for six months. Nor did I let it heal properly, and to this day if I use it "incorrectly," it'll starts to hurt and I won't be able to put weight on it. While it isn't terribly serious (mind you, I'm not a doctor so I don't know how valid that assessment really is ), there is now an even greater limit to how I can use that foot.

How'd you overcome it?

I injured my hip during a competition in early December 2011. It was a freak thing that happened when I took a step forward. Yep - that was it.

We think one of my hip flexors slipped out of place over a bone. I just had no support in my left hip at all. I was laying on the ground with people pulling my leg, etc and it did slip back into place. But man, was it sore! It bruised quite badly.

I took it easy for a few weeks, gently stretching the flexors using some exercises my trainer taught me.

I started with a new teacher in January 2012 (had nothing to do with it! LOL) and was able to slowly start working back up to my normal pace.

Just competed at Wisconsin state and while I was a little sore after the day of dancing, nothing out of the ordinary.

I think there was a thread about this, a few years back. Was this guy a regular sports therapist, or did he specialize in physical therapy for dancers?

I've had a few muscle sprains/strains.. some needing medical intervention and a week or two off. I got them all when I was at lessons though, not actually on the dance competition floor. What seems to help now is to make sure that I am warmed up before dancing, to recognize when my body is telling me it can't do something and not force it, and to ice anything sore immediately when I notice it.

Yes, freak step in bolero at Holiday Dance Classic.. tore the meniscus front to back... surgically repaired, physical therapy and off dancing for 6-8 weeks completely started back slowly but it led to tendinitis which is chronic.. I just dance through that part... with the help of anti-inflammatory meds.

I sprained and broke my ankle while practicing. Timing miscommunication with partner and bad balance...he thought we were stopping when I tried to do a step that I couldn't balance without him. Fell hard and turned my ankle.

I was on crutches for a week or two and went back to dancing after about 6 weeks. The fracture was not detected so it was just diagnosed as a sprain. I continued having pain and instability, but everyone had told me that sprains take a really long time to heal, so I thought it was normal.

Re-injured it 10 months later just doing a random step where I happened to turn my ankle. The x-ray caught the fracture this time (and showed that it was an older fracture), and I had also completely ruptured a ligament and sprained another. During the course of recovery, I also had a pinched nerve in the same foot and Achilles tendonitis.

Recovery: 7-8 weeks wearing a boot, 5 months of physical therapy, cortisone shots. I went back to dancing (in flats) about 3 months after the injury and had worked back up to heels about 2 months later. First competition was 8 months post-injury.

No further problems so far, knock on wood!

Oooh... I had a neuroma in my foot too.... not related to dancing, but when I wear high heels it reminds me that it could come back. I start to feel that tingling nerve pain in my toes and I immediately switch shoes and ice my feet when I get home. Tight shoes and high heels are a podiatrist dream for new patients!

Could you not just have your running sneakers soled with chrome leather?

And who is to say that dancing is not a contact sport? First time at OSB dancing Int.Std tango, we had the floor corner, another pro/am couple literally collided into us -her pro stepped back exactly onto the top of my foot...resulting in me receiving a stress fracture (caught on DVD - ain't that just grand!).
This past November - quickstep - fishtail figure - into the corner and coming out of corner WOWEEE KAZAOOO....right sacrum muscles to pelvic region ripped and tore.
I've had less injuries from snow skiing/teaching than dancing ballroom. lol, snicker.

I pulled my oblique muscle when I was trying to turn my DP but she instead decided to stop. That hurt a lot, but thankfully it wasn't a serious pull.
Also tore up my ankle playing basketball and lost a few months of dance.

notorious back leader did something unexpected, tripped, and i twisted a knee keeping her from falling. took about 6 weeks to heal.