An Analysis of the Perception and Interpretation of Pain During Classical Ballet Practice: A Cross-Sectional Study

In the context of classical ballet, pain is widely accepted as part of the artistic journey. However, it can expose ballet students to health risks. The primary objective of this study is to analyze the perception and interpretation of pain among young adult female classical ballet students and, secondarily, to investigate musculoskeletal risks associated with injuries.

A cross-sectional observational study was conducted with 59 young adult female classical ballet students (aged 18-35) between March and June 2025. The following instruments were administered: semi-structured questionnaire, Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Sport Readiness Questionnaire (MIR-Q), and McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ). Statistical analysis was performed using Jamovi software (version 2.4.14.0), employing t-tests for independent samples and Fisher's exact test (P < .05).

A total of 59 students were reached. All participants reported that pain is viewed as intrinsic to the sport. Most believed, either fully or partially, that pain is a test of strength and endurance during ballet practice (81.3%), that pain also made them stronger (62.7%), that there would be no benefit to not feeling pain (62.8%), and 93.2% ignored the pain when they felt it. No significant levels of catastrophizing were found (PCS 21.3 ± 9.96). However, a higher daily frequency of weekly practical classes (P = .034) and more years of ballet practice (P = .016) were statistically correlated with a higher susceptibility to musculoskeletal injuries. The subjective aspects of pain did not vary according to the duration of practice (P > .05).

There is a high prevalence of pain among adult classical ballet students; however, a new subgroup has been identified in which pain does not correlate with artistic progress. Higher weekly frequency of practice may indicate a greater risk of musculoskeletal injuries in ballet.