<< Back
4 Overuse Injuries You Shouldn’t Ignore
March 26, 2026
When an injury happens suddenly — like a broken ankle or a sprained wrist — it grabs your attention.. But those aches and pains that slowly creep in over time? Or the stiffness you only notice after a long day? Those are much easier to dismiss.
“Overuse injuries develop gradually, which makes them deceptively easy to ignore,” says Alan Reznik, MD, orthopedic surgeon with Hartford HealthCare. “But catching them early is the key to preventing long term damage and getting you back to your normal activities faster.”
Here are four overuse injuries worth paying attention to before they turn into bigger problems.
1. Tendonitis that keeps flaring up
If a limb feels stiff or achy or if stretching out is painful, you might be dealing with tendonitis.
“That’s one of the earliest signs that a tendon is being overstressed,” Dr. Reznik notes. “It often starts as mild discomfort, and without rest and treatment, it can progress to more serious tendon injury.”
Common culprits include the elbow (tennis or golfer’s elbow), shoulder, wrist, patella tendon (jumper’s knee) and Achilles tendon. If the ache lingers for more than a few days, your body is telling you something.
> Related: 5 Tips to Prevent Elbow Tendonitis, According to a Doctor
2. Shin splints that don’t improve
Shin splints are often brushed off as a normal part of running or walking, but persistent pain along the shin bone isn’t normal.
“Shin splints are caused by inflammation in the muscles and their attachments to the bone, or stress in the bone itself from repetitive impact,” Dr. Reznik says. “Micro tears or micro fractures can occur, and they can get larger over time. Left untreated, it can evolve into a stress fracture, which takes significantly longer to heal.”
If the pain worsens during activity, eases with rest, and returns again the moment you pick up speed, don’t push through it. A change in footwear, training surfaces or technique might be all it takes to get ahead of this injury. If not, it’s worth seeing a doctor.
> Related: 6 Strength Training Tips to Protect Your Knees From Running
3. Persistent shoulder soreness
Has reaching overhead, taking a gallon of milk out of the fridge, lifting groceries or sleeping on one side become uncomfortable? You might be dealing with rotator cuff irritation.
“Shoulder overuse often starts with subtle weakness or soreness when lifting your arm,” says Dr. Reznik. “Ignoring it can lead to partial or full tears of the rotator cuff.”
Early treatment, including better mechanics, strengthening the smaller stabilizing muscles, can prevent long term loss of mobility.
4. Knee pain that worsens with activity
Nagging knee pain, especially around or behind the kneecap, is a classic sign of an overuse injury.
“The cartilage behind the kneecap can become irritated from repetitive stress, poor alignment or muscle imbalance,” Dr. Reznik cautions. “Without intervention, it can progress to more significant cartilage wear.”
This type of knee pain often shows up when climbing stairs, squatting or sitting for long periods. Strengthening and stretching the right muscle groups can make a dramatic difference, but only if you act early.
> Related: Not Sure What’s Causing Your Knee Pain? Here Are 3 Clues
What to do if you suspect an overuse injury
Luckily, most overuse injuries are highly treatable (even preventable) with early attention.
“Rest, activity modification and targeted physical therapy can resolve the majority of overuse injuries,” says Dr. Reznik. “Still, the longer you push through pain, the more you risk chronic inflammation, structural damage and prolonged recovery. There might be mechanical or structural problems with your bone or joints, which are best treated with early diagnosis.”
A quick evaluation can help protect your joints, rule out more serious issues, preserve your mobility and keep you moving comfortably for years to come.