‘Dancing with the Stars’ Injuries and Health Crises that Rocked the Ballroom

Dylan Efron’s Broken Nose

A rogue elbow landed Dylan Efron in the emergency room with a broken nose. While trying a new move during rehearsals, his partner Daniella Karagach accidentally elbowed the Traitors star in the face, “and it made a really loud crack,” the actor revealed in a video he later posted on Instagram.

“Not how I wanted to end the rehearsal day, but we’ll be back dancing tomorrow,” he assured fans.

The reality TV star, who boldly asserted that he doesn’t need his nose to dance, competed just fine on Oct. 28, and scored a 38/40 for Halloween Night.

Kim Zolciak’s Mini-Stroke

After Kim Zolciak suffered a mini-stroke in 2015, she was forced to withdraw from the season 21 competition because she wouldn’t be able to get from Atlanta to Los Angeles in time for her performance. Though she was sad to self-eliminate, she said that the show’s hectic schedule, which she believes caused the blood clot, was a blessing.

Elaine Hendrix’s Twisted Rib Muscle

Dylan Efron’s broken nose isn’t the only scary injury sustained by a competitor this season. On Tuesday’s episode, Elaine Hendrix’s partner Alan Bersten revealed The Parent Trap actress was transported to the hospital for an evaluation after she suffered pain in her ribs.

“Elaine and I were dancing, and all of a sudden, Elaine kind of froze and said she can’t move and she can’t breathe, and something happened with her rib,” he said in their video package. The clip then showed Elaine telling Alan and the DWTS crew that her muscle was “twisted” under her ribs.

The actress wound up missing Halloween Night, but was cleared to stay in the competition should fans vote in her favor.

“I’m devastated. 💔. I was beyond excited to share what we had worked so hard on, although you’ll see a version of it,” she wrote on Instagram, referring to the rehearsal footage the judges wound up evaluating.

“With your support, I’ll be back in the ballroom next week. I want nothing more. I’m sending all my love to Alan and the entire Dancing with the Stars team — (including @lisaannwalter. of course, she’s with me).”

Cheryl Burke & Cody Rigsby’s Positive COVID Tests

The season 30 pair had to quarantine beginning in late September 2021 after they both tested positive for breakthrough COVID-19, marking the show’s first cases. As a result, they performed remotely from their own homes on the Oct. 4 episode, receiving an 18 out of 30 for their Britney Spears-inspired routine.

“I feel like we kind of got screwed by the judges, we got all sixes,” Burke said on her podcast, Pretty Messed Up, after the show. “We basically have only gotten sixes since we started Dancing with the Stars, which is fine, I get it, but I think what I was looking for was a little bit of acknowledgement of what we did in order to make this whole production work.”

The pro dancer continued, “Like, you don’t have to talk about us getting COVID, we get it, we’re sick, but at the end of the day, just the amount of work and having to dance as two soloists as opposed to dancing together, when you can manipulate your partner’s body movement and the musicality…”

Burke added that it was “like going in blind” not being able to hear or be with her partner, but noted that Rigsby was able to overcome all the challenges he was presented with.

Hannah Brown’s Post-Show Pain

In January 2021, the former Bachelorette star shared a series of videos on her Instagram Story, revealing that she hasn’t been able to work out in nearly half a year as she continues to deal with the trauma her body endured during the ABC dance competition.

“I’m going on a little walk. I feel like I’ve been not as open about my life with you guys, so I’m gonna try to share more. I think this political climate and with COVID has been hard for all of us and me too,” Brown began in her video. “Usually when I’m struggling, dealing with my mental health, I can go to working out. Well, for the past five months, maybe almost six, I haven’t been able to work out like I used to.”

Then, the reality star revealed that she’s gone to physical therapy due to injuries that were put under “additional stress” from her time on DWTS.

“I am still going to the doctor and trying to figure it out but I think a lot of my body hurting comes from some issues that started on Dancing with the Stars and I just kept going from zero to 100 — I’m either all or nothing — and pushed it too much to where I now have, like, some issues that I am having to deal with physical therapy,” she said. “So I’ve been doing that mostly and then going on some walks and bike rides, but honestly, that’s it.”

Going forward, Brown said she planned to explore “new workout methods” as she adjusted and listened to what her body needed.

Lauren Alaina’s Ribs

The country star had “four hurt ribs” during the Oct. 28, 2019, Halloween episode, but that didn’t stop her from wowing the judges.

After Alaina and her partner Gleb Savchenko performed an Argentine tango to “Whatever Lola Wants” by Sarah Vaughan, judge Carrie Ann Inaba complimented Alaina on how strong her core appeared during the routine. But the singer later admitted to host Erin Andrews, “I have four hurt ribs.”

“When she said my core looked strong I looked straight at Gleb because all I have been trying to do is pretend my ribs aren’t broken this whole competition,” Alaina continued. “I fractured the one on the left the first week of the show and I haven’t had these X-rayed, but they don’t feel great.”

Savchenko commended his partner’s willingness to push through the discomfort. “She’s so strong. I’m so proud that she got through it,” he said. “We had a tough week and I’m really proud of you. You did a great job.”

Christie Brinkley’s Broken Arm

Brinkley had to drop out of her season of Dancing with the Stars after falling and breaking her arm during rehearsals. But luckily, daughter Sailor was nearby, and she fit perfectly into her then-65-year-old mom’s costume.

The model mom joked in a statement, “Showbiz is all about getting a break, and Sailor and I both got one on Dancing with the Stars this season. Sailor joined the cast when I got mine … ouch somebody stop me, it hurts to laugh!”

As for Sailor, she was happy to fill her mama’s dancing shoes. “I’m doing this mostly for my mom! I just want to make her happy and make her proud,” the then-21-year-old said. “She loved doing this, she loves dancing and she loves performing and getting hurt was her worst nightmare.”

Pamela Anderson’s Calf Muscle

While practicing for Dancing with the Stars France, the actress had quite the scare.

“I hurt my right calf muscle in rehearsal last night,” Anderson wrote on Instagram on Oct. 18, 2018. “We weren’t doing anything crazy just dancing. It felt like someone threw a baseball very hard at my lower leg- I screamed and turned around and no one was there. then realized it was my calf muscle that may have exploded?”

She had the support of her partner, Maxime Dereymez, who Anderson claims “did all he could.”

“He carried me to car and then carried me to my hotel room,” she continued. “Kine’ came to my room. My mom stayed with me through the night.”

It was her second injury of the season and left her on crutches, however she was doing “anything” to make it to the next live performance show.

Bobby Bones’ Mouth

While gearing up for season 27, the Nashville radio DJ revealed he’d been elbowed (hard!) in the mouth, twice.

“I had to fill out a lot of paperwork, because I got hit really hard,” he told PEOPLE after one incident that required him to file a dental claim. “There was blood and a tooth. I still don’t know what I’m doing. [Partner Sharna Burgess] was doing her spin thing, and she was doing what she was supposed to do, and my face was not doing what it was supposed to do.”

Victoria Arlen’s Body Spasm

While rehearsing for a season 25 live show, Victoria Arlen — who, at age 11, was diagnosed with a neurological condition and an autoimmune disease, which affected her spinal cord and left her in a vegetative state for four years — bent over in pain after the entire right side of her body went into a spasm. Partner Val Chmerkovskiy got her some medical attention, and the two still went on to compete that night.

“I definitely didn’t feel as strong as I felt in dress before the spasm,” Arlen explained to co-host Tom Bergeron after her dance and before the judges awarded her a 24/30. “But kind of overcoming that … getting out of that scared mindset really helped me kind of go out there. It wasn’t as good as it could have been, but given the circumstances, I’m very happy with it.”

Lindsey Stirling’s Rib Injury

After heading to the hospital after she suffered a rib injury during rehearsals, the season 25 front-runner faced the possibility of sitting out from the rest of the competition. But she pushed through, earning 27/30 on a fast-moving paso doblé the very next day.

“She’s doing better,” partner Mark Ballas told reporters after the show. “She wanted to be here tonight [to talk to press], but I told her she needed to go rest and put ice on her ribs … Her health comes first.”

Marie Osmond’s Fainting Spell

It was a television moment so shocking producers couldn’t have planned it: In the midst of receiving her critique from the judges in season 5, Osmond fainted and remained on the ground for 30 seconds. She ended up being fine; even as producers were encouraging her to go to the medic, she waited to get her scores and was able to continue on in the competition.

Ginger Zee’s Pelvis Injury

The meteorologist’s appearance in the season 22 finale was up in the air after she hurt her pelvis during rehearsals. “I couldn’t even do two of my dress rehearsal runs today because, for one, I can’t even do some of the moves. I’m not allowed to,” she shared. “I’m not even close to where I need to be to perform.” But the next day, she was back in action, visiting a physical therapist before hitting the ballroom.

Terra Jole’s Hernias

The season 23 contestant competed wearing a back brace to help prevent further injuries to her existing hernias. “I’m still pushing myself to the very limit,” she wrote in her blog for PEOPLE. “I know I’ll pay for it later, but it’s worth it.”

Jordan Fisher’s Prior Injuries

Fisher suffered injuries while practicing gymnastics as a child and he still has residual issues, making season 25 a challenge for the star. “I don’t have great hips for somebody who’s 23,” he told PEOPLE. “I think adrenaline is a big factor. It definitely can mask a lot of things that I deal with, but the moment I get into my car and head home, that’s when my body goes ‘Oh God.'” In addition to his weak hips, the actor says he suffers from tendinitis in both achilles, thin cartilage in his ankles and rotator cuff issues in his right shoulder. “I’m definitely sore all the time,” added Fisher, who receives frequent care from a massage therapist. But the singer said exercise — like dancing — actually helps him prevent “real damage” in the future.

Tamar Braxton’s Blood Clots

After she was sent to the hospital during the show’s dress rehearsal, Braxton was forced to bow out of the competition in 2015 due to blood clots in her lungs. Competing on the same season as Zolciak, she was the second competitor to withdraw.

Katherine Jenkins’ Lower Back Pain

The vocalist was a frontrunner in the season 14 competition, making it to the semi-finals before she started experiencing lower back pain during her performance, which led her to make a mistake and start crying when she finished the dance. The tears weren’t just emotional: Jenkins suffered a reflectorial spasm in her lower back, and was forced to visit a doctor. Luckily, the injury didn’t set her back too far: she ended up taking second place in the competition.

Cristián de la Fuente’s Muscle Cramp

In season 6, after he suffered a ruptured tendon in his bicep — the tearing of muscle from bone — Cristián de la Fuente needed surgery. The injury was serious and affected his ability to twist his arm (and his partner) on the dance floor. However, de la Fuente didn’t let that stop him in the competition: He ended up delaying surgery so he could continue competing on the show. With partner Cheryl Burke, the actor eventually placed third.

Melissa Rycroft’s Disc Herniation

During rehearsals for a group dance on the 2012 all-star season of Dancing with the Stars, Rycroft was injured and sent to the hospital. Her diagnosis? A disc herniation, which left her chances in the competition in jeopardy. However, she overcame the obstacle, and went on to win the competition.

Misty May-Treanor’s Torn Achilles

Misty May-Treanor, a gold medal-winning Olympian, was forced to withdraw from the season 7 competition after she tore her Achilles tendon during rehearsal. The injury required surgery, which meant that she could no longer dance with partner Maks Chmerkovskiy.

Bill Nye’s Torn Tendon

After he tripped during a season 17 performance, Bill Nye was forced to check into the hospital for an MRI. He ended up with a torn tendon, and his doctor told him that he shouldn’t dance the following week. Never one to follow orders, Nye decided to dance despite his doctor’s recommendation. Though the judges applauded his determination, his low scores led him to be sent home anyway.

Drew Scott’s Hamstring

During a camera blocking rehearsal in season 25, the Property Brothers star injured his hamstring, which left that night’s performance up in the air. Though he wasn’t able to do a full lunge, he was still able to perform his quickstep, and continue on in the competition for the following week.