“It happens all the time.”
“Everyone sprains their ankle.”
“Just rest, it will be fine.”
Maybe you rolled it during class, or felt it give way while landing a jump. It could be a sharp pain you feel right away, or a dull ache that lingers. What we know is that it’s one of the most common injuries in dance. But if we stop at the surface, we miss the bigger picture.
So, what is an ankle sprain?
An ankle sprain happens when the ligaments (the strong, stretchy bands that help hold your ankle together) get stretched too far or tear. This usually happens when you roll your ankle by accident, land a jump awkwardly, or step the wrong way. It can hurt right away or start to swell and feel sore later.
Some sprains are mild and heal quickly. Others take longer and need more care. Even if it doesn’t seem like a big deal at first, it’s still important to pay attention to how your ankle feels and give it time to heal the right way.
When we talk about ankle sprains at DANCE|PREHAB, we’re not just talking about the ligaments that were overstretched or torn. We’re talking about everything around it—the whole human, the environment you train in, the support you have, and how you feel about your body.
What do we see most often?
You might think that we see dancers because of a specific kind of jump, or specific choreography. While this might be the reason why the ankle was injured in the first place, we often see dancers because they’ve waited so long to get help that their injury is more serious than it initially was. Not because they want to hurt themselves, but because the pressure is real. Because they don’t want to fall behind. Because “I have to be ready for the show.”
But what happens when we skip steps in the recovery process? Often, we see: Recurring sprains, ongoing swelling or pain, a sense that the ankle is always at risk, compensations in other parts of the body, and doubt. Fear. A lack of trust in our own movement.
That’s why we talk about injury risk reduction instead of just “prevention.” Because sometimes, injury happens. But how we prepare, how we respond, and how we rebuild matters.
Ankle sprains are common—but that doesn’t mean they’re not serious
We hear it a lot: “It’s just an ankle sprain.” Or, “Everyone gets those.” And while yes, ankle sprains are incredibly common in dance, that doesn’t mean they should be brushed off or ignored.
When something is normalized, it can feel like it’s not a big deal—until it becomes one. Dancers often downplay their injuries, or feel like they need to push through them because they see others doing the same. But repeated sprains, lingering pain, or instability can have long-term effects on how you move and feel.
At DANCE|PREHAB, we want to make sure you get the care you need. But we also want to challenge the culture to minimize these injuries. How can we work to shift the conversation so you’re not only healing well, but also learning how to speak up for yourself, ask good questions, and carry solid information with you as you move through the world.
Let’s talk about healing, not just fixing.
At DANCE|PREHAB, healing starts with asking better questions.
What does recovery look like for you? What kind of dancing are you returning to? What does your ankle need to feel supported, not just now, but long-term? What conversations are (or aren’t) happening in your studio about injury?
Healing isn’t linear. It’s not a list of checkboxes. It’s a process that includes strength, control, movement quality, and your mental space too.
What does my healing process need to include?
We refer to the PAASS Framework to guide our return-to-dance process. It stands for:
- Pain: What’s your body telling you? How does it feel during activity and at rest?
- Ankle: Are you restoring range of motion, strength, and balance?
- Athlete perception: Do you feel ready? Are you moving with confidence?
- Sensorimotor control: How well can you sense yourself in space?
- Sport/dance-specific performance: Can you meet the physical and artistic demands of your role?
We don’t rush dancers back just to check a box. We help guide you back with awareness, intention, and support.
This isn’t just about your ankle!
It’s about how we move, how we train, how we care for ourselves and one another. It’s about building a culture where injury isn’t something to hide, but something we can talk about.
Injury risk reduction means addressing what happens before the injury, what happens after, and everything in between.
There’s no “one-size-fits-all” answer, but there is a process. One that honors both your artistry and your body. It means taking care of our physical, mental, and emotional selves—so we can keep doing what we love, with longevity and intention.
Let’s move!
Let’s keep building a space where healing is respected, where growth is possible, and where our dancers know that they’re more than just their injury.
We see you. We support you. And we’re here for the journey.
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