Glossary · Injury & Prevention
One of the most common overuse reactions in dance – and why it's often underestimated
Tendinopathy refers to a painful irritation or structural change in a tendon, usually caused by repeated overload rather than a single traumatic event. Unlike acute tendon inflammation, tendinopathy often develops gradually over weeks or months.
In dance, the Achilles tendon (jumps and relevé work), the patellar tendon (pliés and landings), and the hip flexor tendon (high leg lifts and grand battements) are most commonly affected. Dancers are particularly at risk because high repetition counts, limited recovery time between sessions, and the aesthetic demands on movement quality often coincide.
Because tendinopathy develops gradually, early recognition is a central part of CENIT e.V.'s prevention work. One possible early sign is load-dependent pain that appears at the start of training, improves after warming up, and then returns – a pattern that should be assessed by a professional rather than ignored. Current reviews of prevention strategies in dance also show that targeted strength and conditioning, rather than simple rest, is now considered a sensible approach to tendon issues.
This entry serves to convey knowledge in a prevention context and is not a substitute for medical or therapeutic advice. For persistent or recurring symptoms, we recommend consulting professionals experienced in dance medicine – for example through ta.med's referral network or the resources provided by IADMS.
Critchley ML, Davis I, Zhang X et al. Systematic Review of Dance-Specific Injury Prevention Strategies. J Dance Med Sci. 2025. doi.org/10.1177/1089313X251314987 · Lei Y, Wang Y, Tang X. Dance Injuries: Epidemiology, Mechanisms, and Prevention. Curr Phys Med Rehabil Rep. 2025. doi.org/10.1007/s40141-025-00523-4
