Ricki Lake Keeping 'Workhorse' Mentality Despite 'Dancing With the Stars' Injury

ABC

You wouldn't know it from her scores, but Ricki Lake has taken quite a bruising recently on Dancing With the Stars -- though, technically, it's more of an inflaming.

The 43-year-old actress has been suffering from sharp chest pains for more than a week as a result of an inflamed nerve, something her doctor says would require two weeks of rest for a professional athlete.

"I'm OK," Lake told The Hollywood Reporter after Monday's show. "I'm in pain, but I'm a workhorse."

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She's been working through the discomfort with the help of a tightly-wrapped torso and frequent icings, which actually kept her from meeting with reporters after the Tuesday results that sent David Arquette home.

"She is doing well," partner Derek Hough said, speaking in her stead. "She's icing it right now, taking care of it."

Derek say he's not worried about Ricki dropping out in the last three weeks, because, as he puts it, the show has a bit of a thrall over its competitors.

"It's funny when you see that the celebrities become almost addicted," says Hough. "They want to stay in it. They've got to stay in it."

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He seems to be right. Though there have been a few pre-premiere drop-outs over the series, only one has ever bailed in the middle of a season. It was Misty May Treanor in season 7, whose torn Achilles tendon left her physically incapable of dancing.

"I don't think she has any intention of doing it," Derek said of his partner's occasional references of dropping out. And, either way, he's not nervous. "I never get worried anymore about stuff like that. If we have to, we have to. I'm only worried about things I'm in control of."

And with three DWTS titles under his belt, who can blame him?