Pole Dancing Statistics 2026: Injuries, Surveys and the Sport in Numbers
Studies of pole dancers report high injury rates. An Australian study that followed dancers for a year recorded 8.95 injuries per 1,000 hours of training. In a survey of 320 Polish dancers, 86% had been injured at least once. The shoulder is the body part injured most often in several studies. Pole sport has an international federation, the IPSF, founded in 2009, but it is not an Olympic sport.
This page collects published research and surveys. We did not run these studies. Each figure is credited to its source, with the year and sample size, so you can judge how much weight to give it. Studies use different methods, so their numbers should not be compared directly.
Pole dancing statistics at a glance
injuries per 1,000 hours of pole training
66 dancers in Australia, followed for 12 months (Nicholas et al., 2022)
of 320 female pole dancers in Poland had at least one injury
Szopa et al., Scientific Reports, 2022
of injuries were to the shoulder, the most common site
Nicholas et al., 2022
injuries reviewed across 5 studies and 787 dancers
Systematic review, Medical Problems of Performing Artists, 2024
of injured North American pole dancers saw a healthcare specialist
Survey of 217 dancers, Indiana University Indianapolis student research, 2022
countries sent 229 athletes to the 2017 IPSF World Championships
International Pole Sports Federation, via Wikipedia
How common are pole dancing injuries?
Every study we found reports that most regular pole dancers get injured at some point. The figures vary because each study asked different people different questions.
8.95 injuries per 1,000 hours
Researchers followed dancers from 41 studios for 12 months, using a daily training diary. They recorded 103 new injuries. Only 25 of the 66 dancers finished the full year.
Nicholas et al., Medical Problems of Performing Artists, 2022
86% injured at least once
276 of 320 women reported at least one injury, and 156 reported a re-injury. In total they reported 1,050 injuries.
Szopa et al., Scientific Reports, 2022
87.1% injured each year
87.1% said they were injured during pole training at least once a year. 82.4% reported bruises or soft-tissue injuries and 11.1% reported cracks or fractures.
Antonova, Experimental and Clinical Medicine, 2023
69.2% had been injured
An online survey sent to nearly 500 studios found 69.2% had at least one injury. Strains were the most common type. This was student research and is not peer reviewed.
Indiana University Indianapolis, 2022
Which body parts do pole dancers injure most?
The shoulder comes top in several studies, because so many pole moves hang the body’s weight from the arms. When studies are pooled, legs and arms are injured about equally often.
Where injuries happen (2024 systematic review, 1,803 injuries)
Incidence, Prevalence, and Characteristics of Injuries in Pole Dancers: A Systematic Review, Medical Problems of Performing Artists, June 2024
Shoulders 48.1%
Knees 37.0%, hips and thighs 28.7%, hands and wrists 27.8%. Dancers could name more than one area.
Antonova, 2023
Shoulder 20.4%, thigh 11.7%
Most thigh injuries were to the hamstring. 62.1% of injuries came on suddenly and 37.9% built up gradually.
Nicholas et al., 2022
Shoulder 54.5%, wrist 34.2%
An online survey of 158 dancers. 77% recovered in under three months. Figures as summarised by The Pole Physio.
Lee et al., 2020
Ankle sprains 14.7%
34 pole dancers treated in a hospital emergency department. Low back and hip injuries were most common (29.4%). Figures as summarised by The Pole Physio.
Mitrousias et al., 2017
What causes pole dancing injuries?
71.9% blamed wrong technique
Doing a move incorrectly was the cause dancers named most often. 34.4% had been injured by falling from the pole.
Antonova, 2023
57.3% non-contact injuries
Most injuries happened without the dancer hitting the pole, the floor or anything else.
Nicholas et al., 2022
One in three linked to one move type
33.3% of shoulder injuries came from moves that load the shoulder while the arm is rotated inwards.
Nicholas et al., 2022
Splits caused every hamstring injury
All hamstring injuries in the Australian study were linked to front splits. In Ukraine, flexibility exercises were the most common activity at the time of injury (43.2%).
Nicholas et al., 2022; Antonova, 2023
Do injured pole dancers get treatment?
64.8% saw a specialist
Of the dancers who had been injured, 64.8% saw a healthcare specialist. Most described the experience as positive.
Indiana University Indianapolis, 2022
22% saw a physio
Only 22% saw a physiotherapist or movement professional. Dancers over 40 were 3.7 times more likely to need more than three months to recover than those aged 19 to 29.
Lee et al., 2020, as summarised by The Pole Physio
Why do people take up pole dancing?
Fitness is the main reason in the surveys we found. These were run by a pole retailer and a pole studio, not researchers, and they are old, so treat them as a snapshot.
78% started for fitness
99% would recommend pole to a friend, 90% felt more confident and 75% had a pole at home.
PoleMotion, “Britain’s First Pole Dancing Survey”, 2011
100% said health and fitness
82% were interested in learning new tricks and 79% named the feeling of achievement. Half learn moves from YouTube tutorials.
The Pole Room student survey, 2015
Is pole dancing an official sport?
IPSF founded
The International Pole Sports Federation was set up by Katie Coates and Tim Trautman. It runs pole sports, artistic pole, ultra pole and para pole.
Wikipedia
World Championships begin
The IPSF has held World Pole Sports Championships since 2012. In 2017, 229 athletes from 36 countries took part.
Wikipedia
GAISF observer status
The global sports federation body GAISF gave the IPSF observer status. GAISF was wound up in September 2023 and SportAccord took on some of its work.
Wikipedia; SportAccord, 2023
37 national federations
The IPSF reported 37 member federations. A rival body, POSA, had endorsed 24 national federations.
Sports Destination Management, April 2019
The IPSF has met the International Olympic Committee and says Olympic status is one of its goals. Pole is not an Olympic sport.
What do these statistics mean for pole shoes?
We found no published study that measures injuries caused by pole heels. Research looks at pole training in general, not at footwear. What the data does show is that the legs, knees and ankles account for around 45% of injuries, so shoes that fit well and a sensible heel height matter.
Get the size right
Loose heels slip and tight ones cause blisters. See our pole shoe sizing guide.
No metal on the pole
Avoid buckles, studs or metal that can touch the pole, and tuck laces in before you start.
Learn to walk first
Practise walking and turning in heels before spins. See how to walk in platform heels.
How we put these statistics together
We searched journals, university repositories and federation sources in November 2026. We used peer-reviewed studies where we could, and we say when a figure comes from student research, a business survey or a summary by another site. We will update this page when new research is published. Spot a mistake or a new study? Tell us.
Can I use these statistics?
Yes. Journalists, bloggers and students are welcome to use any figure on this page. Please credit the original study and link to this page as your source.
Lewis, A. (2026). Pole Dancing Statistics 2026: Injuries, Surveys and the Sport in Numbers. Best Pole Dancing Shoes. https://www.bestpoledancingshoes.com/pole-dancing-statistics/
Sources
- Nicholas, J. et al. (2022). Incidence, Mechanisms, and Characteristics of Injuries in Pole Dancers: A Prospective Cohort Study. Medical Problems of Performing Artists, 37(3), 151–164. James Cook University repository
- Szopa, A. et al. (2022). Factors associated with injury and re-injury occurrence in female pole dancers. Scientific Reports, 12:33. Nature
- Incidence, Prevalence, and Characteristics of Injuries in Pole Dancers: A Systematic Review (2024). Medical Problems of Performing Artists, 39(2). Ingenta Connect
- Antonova, G.P. (2023). Study of the causes, frequency and localization of injuries among pole acrobatics athletes. Experimental and Clinical Medicine, 92(1), 71–81. Journal page
- The prevalence of injuries, healthcare interactions, and demographics of the North American pole dance fitness community (2022). Indiana University Indianapolis undergraduate research showcase. IU Indianapolis
- The Pole Physio. Pole dance research recap (summary of Lee et al., 2020 and Mitrousias et al., 2017). thepolephysio.com
- PoleMotion (2011). The results: Britain’s first pole dancing survey. Website: polemotion.com
- The Pole Room (2015). Pole dancing survey 2015. Website: thepoleroom.com.au
- International Pole Sports Federation. Wikipedia
- SportAccord (2023). Extraordinary General Assembly approves the final liquidation of GAISF. sportaccord.sport
- Sports Destination Management (2019). Two pole dance groups wrestling over control. sportsdestinations.com
Frequently asked questions
How common are injuries in pole dancing?
Very common among regular dancers. An Australian study recorded 8.95 injuries per 1,000 hours of training, and 86% of 320 Polish pole dancers reported at least one injury. Most injuries are strains, bruises and soft-tissue injuries rather than fractures.
What is the most common pole dancing injury?
Shoulder injuries are the most common in several studies. Hamstring, knee and wrist injuries are also common. A 2024 review found legs and arms are injured about equally often overall.
Is pole dancing an Olympic sport?
No. The International Pole Sports Federation, founded in 2009, runs world championships and says Olympic status is one of its goals, but pole is not on the Olympic programme.
How many people pole dance?
There is no reliable worldwide count. The best indicators are competition numbers: 229 athletes from 36 countries took part in the 2017 IPSF World Championships, and the IPSF had 37 national federations in 2019.
Do pole heels cause injuries?
We found no study that measures injuries from pole heels specifically. Legs, knees and ankles make up around 45% of pole injuries, so heels that fit well, a sensible heel height and no metal touching the pole all help.
Can I use these pole dancing statistics?
Yes. Please credit the original study named next to each figure and link to this page as your source.