Posted on August 12th 2025 by Mead Physio Group

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Recently, our team had the opportunity to attend a professional development session with Susan Mayes, long-time Head of Physiotherapy at The Australian Ballet. Susan shared invaluable insights on injury prevention in dancers, with foot cramping emerging as a key early warning sign that shouldn’t be ignored.

Foot and toe cramps are common in dancers, especially during intensive training or rehearsals. But according to Susan, these cramps shouldn't be dismissed. In some cases, they may be an early indicator of overuse injuries, such as stress reactions or fatigue fractures in the small bones of the foot and toes.

Why Do Cramps Happen?

While the exact cause of cramping can vary, a few common contributors in dancers include:

• Poor foot strength and motor control
• Improper or ill-fitting footwear
• Overtraining and lack of recovery time
• Nutritional or hydration imbalances

When the intrinsic muscles of the foot are fatigued or underdeveloped, they struggle to cope with the repetitive load of dancing, especially in pointe work or jumping. Cramping may be the body's way of signalling that something isn’t quite right.

What Should You Do If You Experience Cramping?

Early identification and management of underlying issues can be crucial for injury prevention. If you or someone you know is experiencing regular cramping in the feet or toes:

• Don’t ignore it: it might be your body’s way of asking for help
• Communicate: let your dance teacher or relevant sports coach know
• Seek professional advice: a sports physio can assess foot strength, technique and training load to help prevent potential injuries

At Mead Physio Group, our team has a special interest in dance physiotherapy and youth sports injuries and we're here to support you in staying strong, mobile and injury-free.

If you're dealing with a concern or want to prevent future issues, reach out to book an appointment with our Sports Physio, Jason Wells.