5 Types of Muscle Pain That Could Signal Trouble

5 Types of Muscle Pain That Could Signal Trouble : Muscle pain and soreness are common when it comes to athletes. Intense exercise, which means pushing muscles through activities that reach the extremes, will often lead to aches and pains.

There are certain pains, however, that should not be worked around or even ignored. In these cases, the athlete could end up injured and sidelined for extended periods if he or she doesn’t see a muscle specialist. The information made available in this article will help the athlete identify those pains.

Sharp Back Pain

Athletics places a tremendous amount of stress on the spinal column. For this reason, athletes should pay considerable attention to any back pain that should occur during games or training. Any athlete who experiences a sharp pain in their back should stop immediately and assess the problem. In most cases, the solution lies in merely stopping or modifying what you are doing. In other cases, it might be a good idea to take a break from the activity and see a doctor.

Sudden Neck Pain

Moving the body in such a way as it was not intended can also cause severe pain, including sudden neck pain. Specific exercises and activities can place a tremendous amount of weight and strain on your neck and shoulders. Either of these can cause sudden neck pain.

If this pain happens when weightlifting, especially doing squats, you are probably placing undue stress on your neck. To relive this, move the bar farther down on your shoulders and less on your neck. Also, look ahead while doing this instead of up or down.

Groin Tenderness or Pain

Under certain conditions, such as weightlifting, the groin is one area that should be monitored closely. Anyone who develops a sudden stiffness or pain in the groin should stop immediately. It might only be a cramp, but it could also be a muscle strain, a pulled muscle, or even a rupture. Getting past this pain can often be just a matter of stretching, but seeing a doctor might also be a good idea.

Ankle Pain

When you consider all the weight placed on ankles every day, not even including athletics, it’s little wonder that ankle pain is so common. A very common cause of ankle pain is the wrong types of shoes. Regardless of your sport, make sure that any shoes you wear have adequate cushioning. Also, pay close attention when you develop ankle pain. Be careful also of “pushing through” ankle pain since doing so will often damage tendons and strain ligaments, which can put you out of action for a long time.

Shin Pain

Another common injury, especially for runners, is shin splints. These can be very painful, mainly if they are not dealt with immediately. Shin splints are caused when the tibia bone (the bone in the front of your lower leg) is exposed to excessive and prolonged pressure. Shin splints and other shin pain can usually be eliminated by reducing or stopping training for a few days. If the problem continues, however, see a doctor.

Keeping healthy and active means being aware of what your body is telling you through your training and your sports activities. By practicing good nutrition and proper form, you will eliminate virtually all pains related to overstress. Between good practice and plenty of rest, you should be fine. When sharp pain does occur, however, be aware, take care of yourself and, if needed, see a doctor as soon as possible.