‘Dancing With the Stars’ Pro Sharna Burgess Is Powering Through Severe Ankle Sprain

Sharna Burgess has been cutting up on the dance floor with Jesse Metcalfe this season, but the Dancing With the Stars pro has also been battling a severe ankle sprain behind the scenes. Burgess’ fans noticed the dancer was wearing a wrap around her ankle during Monday’s Top 13 dance, a cha cha to “Smooth” by Santana feat. Rob Thomas, but the pro told Entertainment Tonight Tuesday she has been dealing with the injury for weeks.

“Oh that’s just the first time you all have seen it!” she told the outlet. “I’ve been strapping my ankle since week one. I rolled my ankle really badly before our first dance and it is a severe sprain.” While the Aussie is “fine,” she does need to keep it wrapped, “because it’s weak.” She added, “That’s why I’ve been wearing flat shoes.” While the Desperate Housewives actor was criticized for his stiff hips by judges Bruno Tonioli, Derek Hough and Carrie Ann Inaba before being awarded a 21/30 — their highest yet — the actor added to ET he’s been dealing with “an arthritic hip” himself.

“They were very critical. I just took it, it’s all good. No excuses, team ‘All In!’” he said of the criticism from the judges. “But I was convinced I might be in the bottom two. I was surprised to get put through to next week.” While it was Monica Aldama and Val Chmerkovskiy in the bottom alongside Anne Heche and Keo Motsepe, who ultimately were eliminated, Burgess and Metcalfe will have to bring it during ’80s Night next Monday, during which they will be dancing the tango to “Everybody Wants to Rule The World” by Tears for Fears.

“Sharna, she’s an absolute warrior. She didn’t want to make a storyline out of her ankle but she had a severely rolled ankle in week one,” Metcalfe continued, praising his partner while possibly making a dig at his competitor, former Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe. “We didn’t want to steal anyone’s storyline.” Bristowe’s ankle injury almost kept her from dancing during the second week of the competition, but she revealed an MRI of the area showed that nothing was wrong aside from tendonitis and shin splints. “Not gonna lie. It’s been a tough week,” she wrote on Instagram last week ahead of Disney Night before receiving the results of her tests. “Ankle is still so sore which has really put a damper on rehearsing. No MRI results as of this minute, which has been mentally draining too.”