“No pain, no gain” – is NOT the best message to follow when you’re hitting the gym. Pushing yourself too far, using the wrong equipment and ignoring your body’s need for recovery can lead to injuries. If you’re not careful, you could give yourself some long-term damage.
Here are three common exercise-related pains and the solutions for them:
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome:
Patellofemoral pain syndrome is one of the most common running injuries out there — it’s often called “runner’s knee” because of this. Stress from repetitive running on hard terrain irritates the kneecap. It can be painful during the workout or long after you’ve finished.
The Solution:
You could be in pain because you’re pushing yourself too far with your runs. Try to cut back on the distance and stick to easier terrains. Flat and soft surfaces won’t impact your knees as much as pavement.
Another solution to consider is gait training and rehabilitation. Sometimes, your running form may be the root cause of knee pain. A biomechanical assessment, including video gait analysis, allows a chiropodist to evaluate your biomechanics, identify the source of your pain, and provide targeted recommendations. They can also suggest appropriate footwear based on your gait pattern and foot type, ensuring you wear shoes that support your movement and reduce strain.
DOMS
You want to feel the burn while you’re doing a bench press, but you don’t want to deal with that sensation days later. If this scenario is familiar, you are dealing with delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) — challenging weightlifting workouts create micro-tears in the muscles, which become inflamed within 24 to 48 hours.
The Solution:
When you’re dealing with DOMS, the main thing you should do is relax. Pushing through the soreness to tackle another heavy workout will make the pain worse and heighten your risk of injury. If you can’t skip a day of exercise, replace some of your high-intensity workout plans with low-intensity exercises like leisurely walks or swimming laps at the pool.
If you don’t want DOMS to come back, you should cut down the difficulty level of your workouts. You can reduce the weight you lift, the reps you make or the amount of time you spend in the gym.
Shin Splints
Another running injury that you might endure is medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS) — you will probably know it by its common name “shin splints.” You’ll realize you have the problem when you get a stabbing sensation in your shins as you run.
The Solution:
When you feel like you have shin splints, don’t keep pursuing the workout. Stop the run, take a rest and put ice packs on your shins for 20 minutes to conquer any swelling.
Medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS) is often caused by overuse of the leg muscles. Choosing the right footwear or using supportive insoles can help prevent strain on your medial leg muscles. If you’re experiencing sharp, shooting pain, it may be due to wearing the wrong shoes. Switching to orthopedic cushioned running shoes that match your foot type and gait pattern can provide better support. Custom orthotics can offer additional shock absorption to help athletes reduce the risk of injury and stay comfortable while maintaining their running progress.
It’s great that you’re motivated to improve your physical fitness, but it’s important to know when to pull back. When you’re frequently in pain and discomfort, you need to make some changes in your routine, whether it’s with the intensity, the form or the footwear.


