In the lead-up to competition season, "Again! From the top!!" can be overheard in studios across the nation. As students rehearse their routines ad nauseam in the final push to get ready, longer hours can sometimes mean that warm-ups get lost and increased repetition can create overuse injuries. Plus the extreme tricks and greater demands for flexibility can put stress on the joints and tendons of growing and adolescent bodies.

"In the dance industry, we are very used to releasing and stretching," says Dr. Alexis Sams, physical therapist and owner of AZ Dance Medicine Specialists. "But the key to injury prevention is matching mobility with stability. You are not going to get the results you want without doing the stabilizing work." While Dr. Sams does not recommend that students self-diagnose an injury and believes in the necessity of a professional assessment when a student reports pain, she has found that many overuse injuries can be prevented by strengthening the core and glute muscles, and sticking to a proper warm-up. Here are three common places where students report pain, what may be causing it, and the best exercises to address and prevent the injury.