Carrie Ann Inaba Expresses Concern for Contestant’s Injury Ahead of the Finale

Heavy/Getty/ABC Ariana Madix is dealing with a back injury.

A “Dancing With the Stars” finalist is suffering from a back injury. Ariana Madix hurt her back and Carrie Ann Inaba was quick to notice that it had affected her performance on the semifinals.

Inaba noted that the reality television star seemed to be “holding back” on the November 28, 2023, episode. When she asked Madix about the injury, the “Vanderpump Rules” star explained that it occurred near where her ribs and spine met. Inaba said she could tell that Madix wasn’t getting a “full range of motion” during her jive.

Nevertheless, she and partner Pasha Pashkov earned a 28 out of 30 for the dance and, later, their foxtrot earned them a perfect score. Inaba praised Madix for “leaving it all on the floor” despite being in so much pain.

Here’s what you need to know:

Ariana Madix Has No Plans to Leave the Competition

Despite her injury, Madix is planning on competing on the finals in hopes of winning the Mirrorball Trophy.

“I’m really struggling with this awkward body posture on my already aching back,” she said in her pre-dance package. “Pain hasn’t stopped me before, and it’s certainly not going to stop me now,” she added.

Indeed Madix has been dancing through pain; she also suffered a “scary” foot injury.

“I am dealing with an injury on my right foot,” she told EW fairly early on in the competition. The pain was bad enough that Madix actually wore sneakers for one of her live performances.

Madix isn’t the only season 32 finalist who has danced through pain, either. Xochitl Gomez has been dealing with wrist and rib pain.

Despite these injuries, both Madix and Gomez have been earning high scores week over week and both have a great shot at finishing the season in first place.

Ariana Madix Was Grateful Not to Take Part in the Dance-Off

After obtaining the highest scores in a mid-November show, Madix earned the right to sit out of the dance-off — which she was grateful for, given her back injury.

“It was a huge relief to not have to do the dance-off. Especially because our Pasodoble was so packed,” she told ET after the show.

She also shared a photo of her back all taped up for support on her Instagram Stories. When fans inquired about how she was feeling, Madix kept things positive.

“I’m good. I took a lot of Ibuprofen. I saw the physical therapist here, Gina. She’s incredible. 2 and a half times or 1 and a half times today. I saw her yesterday as well. I slept on cardboard last night because my mattress is too soft, so I got a cardboard box. I laid it in the bed, I put a blanket over it, and I slept on a cardboard box, and I think that helped,” she shared.

Madix and Pashkov are set to compete against Gomez and Val Chmerkovskiy, Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach, Charity Lawson and Artem Chigvintsev, and Alyson Hannigan and Sasha Farber on the December 5, 2023, finale.

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