Last reviewed: September 29, 2026

It can be.

Foot and ankle pain is common in young dancers. About 4 in 10 girls ages 8 to 16 who take dance classes have had an injury or pain from dancing, and the foot and ankle are the most common place.

Ballet and Irish dance are the styles most linked to foot and ankle injuries. Dancing on the tips of the toes in special shoes (pointe work) adds to the strain.

Three things are linked to more injuries: more hours of dance each week, more time on pointe, and poor technique, such as forcing the feet to turn out further than the hips allow. The age a child starts dancing has not been clearly linked to injury. Dancers who do not eat enough for their training are more likely to have weak bones and stress fractures.

No limit on dance hours has been set, and no program has been proven to prevent dance injuries in children. For young athletes in general, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises one to two days off a week and three months off a year from the main activity. More hours a week than the child’s age in years has been linked to overuse injuries in young athletes. Dance medicine experts advise starting pointe work no earlier than age 12, after several years of ballet with at least two classes a week, and only when the child is strong and steady enough.

In general:

  • Count your child’s weekly hours of dance and compare them with your child’s age in years.
  • Give your child at least one day off from dance each week.
  • See your child’s doctor if your child cannot walk on the foot, limps, or has pain that does not settle with rest.

Drafted with AI assistance from published sources, reviewed and edited by Babak Sheikh, MD.

Sources:

This is general information about what published research shows. It is not medical advice and it is not about your situation. Reading it does not create a doctor-patient relationship with me. I am a retired orthopedic surgeon and I do not see patients. Talk with your own doctor before changing anything about your care. If something feels suddenly or seriously wrong, get medical care promptly rather than waiting.

This page is provided as is. I make no guarantee that it is accurate, complete or current, and medical evidence changes. Use of it is at your own risk.

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