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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 16, 2026

A Rat Tibial Growth Plate Injury Model to Characterize Repair Mechanisms and Evaluate Growth Plate Regeneration Strategies

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Premature Growth Plate Closure in a Ballet Dancer en Pointe.

¹Center for Sports Medicine, St. Francis Memorial Hospital, Walnut Creek, California.

Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine : Official Journal of the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine

|August 7, 2016

Summary

En pointe ballet dancing can cause premature growth arrest in young dancers, leading to a shortened second metatarsal. This case highlights a potential risk for adolescent dancers due to repetitive stress.

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Area of Science:

Orthopedics
Sports Medicine
Pediatric Sports Medicine

Background:

Repetitive stress injuries are common in adolescent athletes.
En pointe dancing involves significant stress on the feet and lower extremities.
Growth plate injuries can have long-term consequences for bone development.

Observation:

A 13-year-old ballet dancer presented with a shortened right second toe.
The dancer had a history of en pointe training since age 10.
No history of trauma or pain was reported prior to presentation.

Findings:

Diagnosis of premature growth arrest of the second metatarsal head physes.
Resulting in a shortened second metatarsal.
This is the first reported case linking en pointe dancing to this specific injury.

Implications:

Highlights a novel risk factor for growth plate injury in ballet dancers.
Suggests the need for monitoring and potential modifications in en pointe training.
Emphasizes the importance of understanding biomechanical stresses in pediatric sports.