Elaine Hendrix Gives Update on Injury During DWTS Return

Elaine Hendrix isn’t ready to take her last bow.

Elaine suffered a rib injury during the October 28th episode of Dancing With the Stars, which meant she couldn’t perform live. Instead, the show aired footage of her final dress rehearsal with partner Alan Bersten. She recently shared a health update from her doctors.

She explained in a video before her performance on November 4th that she wasn’t sure if she’d torn a muscle or just strained it. She’s focusing on recovery, which means taking a break from dancing, and that’s causing her some stress.

Despite the injury, though, doctors allowed the 54-year-old to return to the dance floor.

Honestly, hearing her say we’re still moving forward meant the world to me. She’s prepared for a tough road ahead, and she’s made it clear that no amount of hardship will stop her. It’s incredibly inspiring, and frankly, I admire her strength so much. She just doesn’t seem to care about the pain – she’s focused on what’s important.

Elaine impressed everyone with her Viennese waltz alongside Alan, set to Dionne Warwick’s “What the World Needs Now.” The dance, performed as a tribute to the episode’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame theme, received fantastic feedback from judges Derek Hough, Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and special guest Flavor Flav, who collectively awarded it a score of 37.

After her performance, Elaine shared with host Julianne Hough that she was overwhelmed with the love and support she’d received, and expressed her deep gratitude to everyone.

She concluded, “I am feeling very solid and strong and grateful.”

Elaine let her fans know she was doing well after being absent from the Halloween episode of season 34.

She shared in an Instagram video on October 29th that she was recovering, saying she was feeling sore and tender but would be starting pain management soon.

Alan, meanwhile, expressed gratitude to the fans for keeping the duo in the competition.

The dance professional expressed their gratitude, saying, “We’re so thankful for your votes and all the love and support you’ve shown Elaine and us. We really feel it and appreciate it.”

Elaine has openly shared that Dancing With the Stars gives her a chance to revisit a lifelong passion. She was a promising dancer as a young woman, but a car accident at 21 ended that dream.

She described it as a real second chance, telling Women’s Health in an October 7th interview that she’d often considered taking an adult dance class, but was always held back. It was either difficult to find a class, the location wasn’t convenient, or she lacked the motivation and felt a little scared to try.

She’s encouraging anyone who’s feeling stuck or uncertain to keep going and overcome their doubts.

She emphasized that trying new things is often difficult and frightening, but ultimately rewarding. She believed the satisfaction of achieving something outweighs any temporary discomfort.

For more on the season 34 cast of Dancing With the Stars, read on.