A new year means a new opportunity to set and work towards their goals. One in two people are set to make a fitness-related goal for the new year - and we’ve just shared how to drastically increase your chance of succeeding in staying consistent with your goals by doing three key steps. While we love health and exercise-related goals for the value they add to your health and life, many people's journey to achieving their goals will be cut abruptly short - and it has nothing to do with their commitment or motivation. It’s because they’ll develop an (often preventable) injury.
So, what can you do to avoid falling into this category? The first step is knowing your risks and why you’re at risk. Here are the top five preventable injuries that our physiotherapists see and treat and tips to help you avoid them.
1. Shin Splints
Shin splints are that uncomfortable, sometimes sharp pain you feel along the front of your shins when you're active. While “shin splints” is often used as a broad term, getting medically technical, it can actually point to one of three different issues:
- Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS)
- Exertional Compartment Syndrome (this is when you experience increased pressure within the muscle compartments of the lower leg which restricts blood flow and causes pain, cramping, or tightness during exercise, which typically subsides with rest)
- Stress Fractures (these are tiny cracks in the shin bone caused by repetitive stress or overuse, leading to localised pain that worsens with activity and may persist during rest in more severe cases)
Focusing on Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome, it tends to occur when too much stress is placed on the front and inner parts of your shin bone. This usually happens because the muscles and tissues around the bone are being overworked, leading them to become irritated. Over time, the irritation can lead to pain that begins during exercise and often forces you to stop. It's your body’s way of saying, “Hey, something’s not right here.”
Shin splint signs to look out for when you’re exercising:
- Pain along the front or inner part of the shin during or after exercise.
- Tenderness when you press along the shin bone.
- Mild swelling around the shin area.
- Pain that worsens with activity but improves with rest.
- Dull ache even after exercising if the condition becomes more severe.
2. Low Back Pain
Low back pain can develop when you repeatedly perform movements with an incorrect technique that can place excess stress on the back and associated muscles, joints, and the spine itself. A common example is curving your back when you lift weights, or overarching your spine.
Another reason for low back pain is having poor core muscle strength[1] - which isn’t uncommon with the increase in sedentary lifestyles we see today. When your core muscles are weak, it means your abdominals are not doing a good job of supporting or stabilising your spine, increasing your risk of injury when the back is loaded.
Signs to look out for when you’re exercising:
- A dull ache or sharp pain in the lower back that worsens with specific movements or positions.
- Muscle stiffness or tightness, especially after waking up or sitting for long periods.
- Pain that radiates into the buttocks or down one leg (may indicate nerve involvement).
- Difficulty standing upright or performing everyday movements like bending or twisting.
- Weakness or instability in your core or lower body during physical activity.
3. Ankle Sprains
When you accidentally roll out on the side of your ankle, you strain and damage the ligaments in that area responsible for stabilising and supporting your ankle. This is known as an ankle sprain. Unfortunately, we rarely come across anyone who hasn’t had at least one (if not many) ankle sprains throughout their lifetime. Without proper rehabilitation, this can lead to permanent weakness of the ankle stabilising ligaments known as chronic ankle instability.
Ankle instability makes you much more likely to continue to sprain your ankles - especially when training on uneven ground or participating in sports that involve fast side-to-side movements, pivots and rapid changes in direction. Working to strengthen your ankle and using supports (as needed) can help reduce your risk of ankle sprains during exercise.
Signs you may have ankle instability (and have a greater risk of ankle sprains):
- Frequent "giving way" of the ankle, especially during walking, running, or on uneven surfaces.
- A persistent feeling of wobbliness or lack of support in the ankle joint.
- Recurring ankle sprains or injuries, even from minor twists or movements.
- Pain, swelling, or tenderness around the ankle that lingers after activity.
- Difficulty balancing or standing on one leg, particularly on the affected side.
- Reduced confidence in the ankle's ability to support weight or handle sudden movements.
4. Tendonitis
A tendonitis means that a tendon in your body has become strained, painful and inflamed - hence the term ‘itis’. We’re using this category because there are lots of different tendons that are commonly injured during exercise, including:
- Plantar fasciitis heel pain
- Achilles tendonitis (or tendinopathy)
- Golfer elbow (medial epicondylitis)
- Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
- Patellar tendonitis
- Quadriceps tendonitis or tendinopathy
Signs you may be developing a tendonitis:
- Pain localised to the affected tendon that worsens with movement or activity.
- Swelling or inflammation around the tendon area.
- Tenderness to touch over the tendon, often feeling worse in the morning or after rest.
- Stiffness or restricted movement in the joint near the affected tendon.
- A grating sensation when the tendon is moved.
- Weakness in the associated muscle, making it difficult to perform certain activities.
- Warmth or redness over the tendon in cases of more severe inflammation.
5. Runner’s Knee Pain or an ACL Tear
Both runner’s knee pain, medically known as patellofemoral pain syndrome, and an ACL tear, are common causes of knee pain and injury in sports. Runner’s knee pain occurs when the kneecap mistracks so that instead of gliding smoothly in a specific groove at the femur, it moves irregularly and rubs against the end of the femur repetitively as the knee bends and straightens. This friction causes bony damage and damage to the articular cartilage that covers and protects the joints.
An ACL tear is a ligament tear within the knee joint, where the knee and lower leg movement forcefully stretches the ligament past the point that it can safely handle, to the point of damage. Often, this occurs during sports, such as from sudden pivoting or cutting manoeuvres, making a rapid stop during running, or landing from a jump incorrectly, where the body’s momentum drives itself forward while the tibia remains in contact with the ground. ACL injuries can also occur in a collision, such as being hit with a soccer ball, a car accident, or being forcefully pushed or tackled from behind, where the foot and lower leg are still planted firmly on the ground while the upper body and the femur are thrust forwards.
Signs of an ACL injury
- Sudden, severe pain in the knee following a twisting motion, impact, or awkward landing.
- A popping sensation or sound at the time of injury.
- Swelling and rapid onset of stiffness within a few hours of the injury.
- Instability or giving way of the knee, especially during weight-bearing activities.
- Difficulty fully extending or bending the knee due to pain or swelling.
Signs of a runner’s knee injury
- Dull, aching pain around or behind the kneecap that worsens with running, squatting, or climbing stairs.
- Pain that increases during activities involving repetitive knee bending or prolonged sitting (the "theatre sign").
- Grinding or clicking sensations in the knee when moving.
- Tenderness around the kneecap when pressing on it.
- Mild swelling or feelings of tightness in the knee area.
How Can I Prevent Injury While Exercising?
When it comes to preventing injuries, there’s a lot to be said for staying mindful, having the right gear to support you, and remembering that slow and steady wins the race. Specifically:
- Do not go too hard too fast - this is the number one cause of preventable injuries our physiotherapists see. Whether you’re restarting an exercise routine or getting into it for the first time, overdoing it and placing high demands on your body before you’ve had time to work on your strength and flexibility is an easy way to strain a muscle or a tissue, resulting in pain that stops you from further exercise for weeks.
- Instead, establish your ‘baseline’ for exercise, and prepare for it to be low in how far you can run, how much you can lift, and your output in general. From here, increase your output by no more than 10% per week - keep it slow and steady. Avoid any temptations to double your capacity one day, even if you feel you can, if you want to prevent injury and keep your goals on track.
- Focus on your technique, and get help where possible. Your technique is the way you perform movements during exercise - whether it’s running, using gym machines, cycling, or something else. Performing repeated movements with poor technique can place undue strain on your body, putting you at risk of injury. Get help where you can by using a mirror to monitor your technique, having an exercise buddy to keep each other accountable when it comes to your technique, or seeking the assistance of a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist.
- Form good habits. Aside from your technique, good exercise habits include having a proper warm-up and stretching routine, cooling down effectively, fueling your body well, staying hydrated, and having the correct and supportive footwear or joint supports prescribed by a physiotherapist, to help reduce your risk of injury.
- Listen to your body, always. If you’re starting to develop pains or niggles during exercise, listen to your body and explore why this is. It could be your technique, it could be because you’re overloading a new muscle group past what it can safely handle, or you may just be exhausted and need a break. Exercise can sometimes feel tough and challenging - but it should not feel painful. If you’re experiencing pain during exercise, see your physiotherapist before it has a chance to get worse and impair your exercise goals.
- Request an injury prevention screening: these screenings are completed with your physiotherapist, and involve a comprehensive assessment that looks at your gait, muscle strength and function and technique, based on the type of exercise you’re doing. We also have the VALD system, which gives us a lot of information on the injury risks from your screening. Your physio can then identify your risks when exercising and put the right prevention measures in place to help reduce your risk of injury.
Need help reaching your exercise goals, preventing injury, or developing an exercise plan that will suit your lifestyle and preferences? We’re here to help. Book your appointment with us online here.