Imaging of ballet dancers’ injuries

Abstract

Ballet dancers are known for their tremendously arduous training schedules, stressful lifestyles, and, unfortunately, chronic and recurring health problems. The combination of physical, emotional, and psychological factors results in a preponderance of issues, many of which are physical injuries. Of these, the musculoskeletal system is the most frequently involved. This article will review the risk factors and patterns of musculoskeletal injuries in ballet dancers and then describe the variety of injuries encountered in ballet dancers with a focus on their appearance at MRI.