
‘DWTS’ Star Frankie Muniz’s Dangerous Work Ethic Puts His Broken Back Pain At Risk

Sep. 26 2017, Published 2:11 p.m. ET
Ouch! Dancing with the Stars star Frankie Muniz has been experiencing broken back pain stemming from a 2009 car racing accident. But he’s refused to allow that to keep him from performing on the hit ABC reality dance competition.

Talk about a trooper! The former Malcolm in the Middle star revealed to People on Monday that he’s been dancing with a broken back.

It’s gotten so bad sometimes that he hasn’t been able to move. “We’ve been having to end practice early, which sucks in a week that you have to learn two dances,” he said.

But that hasn’t stopped him from competing for the coveted Mirror Ball trophy. He’s been doing yoga, physical therapy, and cryotherapy to help combat the pain.
- Maks & Val Chmerkovskiy Admit They're 'Looking Forward' to Their Babies Being in a 'Friendly Competition': 'There's Going to Be a Lot of It'
- 'DWTS' Judge Len Goodman Dead At 78 After Bone Cancer Battle
- Derek Hough Reveals Tyra Banks Wrote Julianne Hough 'A Beautiful Message' After Departing 'DWTS': She 'Was So Kind & Gracious'

Though that has helped, his dance partner Witney Carson has had to stop him when he was clearly in agony. “In rehearsal I’ll say, ‘Okay, we have to stop,'” she shared. “And Frankie is like, ‘No. No. We have to keep going.’ And I’m like, ‘No. We have to stop. It’s to that point.'”

He’s been reluctant, but the pain is sometimes so bad that it’s even scared him. “My mind says I have to keep going but I physically can’t. I try to do it one more time but I say, ‘Okay, now I’m going to cause more damage,'” he said.

What do you think of Frankie’s work ethic on the show? Sound off in the comment section!