Foot and ankle injuries in dance.

This review focuses on many of the foot and ankle injuries commonly seen among dancers. These unique athletes place extreme demands on their musculoskeletal system and thereby face a variety of acute and overuse injuries. Conservative treatment is successful in the majority of cases, but these patients often continue to dance while healing--commonly prolonging and at times complicating treatment. When surgery is being contemplated, the dancer's performance level and expectations about returning to dance after surgery should be thoroughly explored. Foot and ankle surgeries that routinely yield good to excellent results in the general population can prematurely end a dancer's otherwise promising career. The physician must consider all these factors when designing an appropriate treatment plan for a dancer.