RESUMEN
PURPOSE: To investigate factors associated to pain in ballet dancers as well its prevalence. METHODS: We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study among 141 professional ballet dancers from the main capitals of Northeastern Brazil. In order to evaluate the symptoms of pain we used Portuguese official versions of the McGill Protocol and the Pain Inventory of Wisconsin. For statistical analysis of the results we performed a descriptive assessment, followed by T-Student and Pearson's Correlation tests (taking a value of p < 0.05). RESULTS: We observed high levels of pain tolerance in 70.2% of the subjects, in which the intensity varied from moderate to severe. The lumbar region was the most affected (85.8%). We observed positive correlations concerning the intensity degree of pain with activities such as dancing (60.3%), sleeping (28.4%), marching (20.6%), general activities (32.6%), mood (27.7%), and personal relations (16.3%). CONCLUSION: We observed a high prevalence of pain in professional ballet dancers from the main Northeastern capitals, attacking mostly the lumbar region, followed by knees, neck, hip and feet, with substantial interference of pain symptoms in several activities of the personal and professional lives of these people.