You’ve been training hard the past few weeks. But the day after your last workout, you had to stop running five minutes in because your calf was twitching uncontrollably.
It just didn’t feel right. Maybe your back always feels tight.
How do you know if that is just normal ‘soreness’, a bit of a stiffness, or if it is your body hoisting up the red flag?
Here are the most common early warning signs of all accidents that I want to share with you because you can still fix these minor issues, before they turn into giant ones.
No more kidding around about injuries - these are the signs!
Persistent Pain after Workouts
Getting sore the day after a workout is one thing, but having the joints pop, or feel like a knife went through them the next day? BAD sign.
For example, if your knees hurt for several days after squats, that might indicate that you’re developing tendinitis, or something similar.
Get those joints to rest! Reduce the load, do some mobility, and get it fixed if it’s broken.
Tightness and Loss of Range of Motion
Notice how your shoulder or hip moves less freely than when you were younger? Stiff muscles signal guarding and compensation.
Tighter means greater the chance of reinjury. Take time and focus on regaining full range of motion – try stretching, rolling and massage.
Don't progress until mobility is back.
Decreased Performance in Your Workouts
Feeling like your workout isn’t going as well lately? Not able to lift as much or run as fast? It’s easy to shrug off a bad day.
The downside of a steady upward trend in your performance is that a downward trend is often a sign of overtraining or injury on the horizon.
Time to rest, deload, and make sure your body can handle the workload.
Strength or Size Imbalances
You might find that you can definitely lift and support your body with one side of your body more readily than the other? Muscle imbalances are a big red flag.
Like, when your right glute is way weaker, your left side has to take all force.
That imbalance leads to breakdown over time. Identify and correct muscular imbalances early.
Joint Instability Issues
Do your knees feel ‘loose’ or ‘wobbly’ as you run? Do your hips feel unstable as you squat down? Poor stability means poor muscular control.
And if your stability is poor, then your joints are moving in ways that they shouldn’t. Ultimately, this leads to an excess of load in the body’s connective tissues, which means injury.
Make stability training a priority!
Tingling, Numbness or Nerve Issues
Tingling, burning or a numb sensation felt during or after workouts is a bad omen. In most cases, something is pressing on or aggravating a nerve.
Common problems like carpal tunnel syndrome or sciatica should never be ignored.
Seek treatment before permanent nerve damage occurs.
Unexplained Swelling around Joints
A swollen joint along with tenderness are usually pointing to an inflammatory process taking hold – possibly fluid trapped in the joint space, or damage to the soft tissues that contributes to the areas around the joint feeling hot to the touch or soft.
Use R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compression, elevation) and avoid activities that aggravate it.
See a doctor if swelling persists or impairs movement.
Sleep Disruptions after Hard Training
You’re not sleeping well after tough training sessions because that is a signal from your body that it needs rest.
Consistent fatigue leads to poor form, overcompensation injuries, and eventual breakdown.
Don't ignore sleep issues - your body desperately needs recovery.
Let Us Help!
If you have been suffering from pain or discomfort for a period of time and need help discovering the underlying cause and returning to movement, reach out to the movement specialists at Beyond Biomechanics. We perform a thorough mobility and movement pattern assessment to assist in designing an exercise training program that’s best suited to you.
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