Occupational hazards in female ballet dancers. Advocate for a forgotten population.

1. Personal, economical, psychological, and physical factors increase a ballet dancer's stress, which can result in a higher risk for injuries. 2. Ballet dancers experience injuries to the foot, ankle, knee, hip, or back. The constant fear of injuries is universal among dancers because injuries can lead to permanent disability and the end of their ballet career. 3. Although early treatment of injuries is critical, there are multiple barriers to receiving treatment. Some of the barriers include misunderstanding from the health care community, cost of treatment, time constraints, fear of unemployment, and dancers' viewing injuries and pain as a way of life. 4. Occupational health nurses are in an excellent position to start programs in this unexplored area of occupational health nursing. Nurses must advocate for this population of workers and help dancers in their battle against injury, pain, disability, and psychological distress.