Degenerative joint disease in ballet dancers.

Forty-four retired dancers were studied with regard to degenerative joint disease in the lower limbs. Six cases of coxarthrosis were found, significantly more than expected in the general population. In addition, there were four cases of tibio-femoral arthrosis, six of knee osteophytosis, four of patellofemoral arthrosis, three of chondrocalcinosis, and one of bilateral ankle arthrosis. More than one-half of the dancers had arthrosis in the metatarsophalangeal joints.