The Biggest Mistake Active Adults Make When They Get Injured
By Dr. Ezra Klemow PT, DPT, MS, CTPS
If you're an active adult, runner, cyclist, gym-goer, pickleball player, or recreational athlete, chances are you've dealt with an injury at some point.
When pain shows up, most people tend to respond in one of two ways:
They stop everything until the pain goes away.
They ignore it and push through no matter what.
While these approaches seem very different, they often lead to the same outcome: a longer and more frustrating recovery.
Mistake #1: Stopping Everything
Many people assume that pain means they should completely rest until symptoms disappear. While there are certainly situations where temporary rest is appropriate, complete inactivity is often not the best long-term solution.
When you stop all activity, several things can happen:
Strength begins to decline.
Conditioning decreases.
Confidence in movement drops.
Returning to activity becomes more difficult.
For active individuals, the loss of fitness and routine can sometimes become just as frustrating as the injury itself. In many cases, the body responds better to the right amount of movement than to complete inactivity.
Mistake #2: Pushing Through No Matter What
On the opposite end of the spectrum are the people who refuse to slow down at all.
Maybe you've told yourself:
"It's probably nothing."
"I'll just push through it."
"Pain is weakness leaving the body."
While determination can be a valuable trait, ignoring symptoms and continuing without any modifications can sometimes prolong recovery.
Continuing to train at the same volume, intensity, or frequency despite increasing pain may lead to:
Persistent irritation
Altered movement patterns
Reduced performance
A small problem becoming a larger one
The goal is not to avoid all discomfort, but to understand when your body is asking for adjustments.
The Middle Ground: Modify, Don't Abandon
The approach that often works best lies somewhere between complete rest and complete stubbornness. Instead of stopping everything, consider modifying your activity.
This might mean:
Reducing training volume
Lowering intensity
Adjusting exercise selection
Shortening workout duration
Modifying range of motion
Choosing alternative activities temporarily
For example, a runner with knee pain may be able to continue running with lower mileage while incorporating strength training. A lifter with shoulder pain may need to modify pressing exercises while continuing to train other areas of the body. The goal is to maintain as much activity as possible while allowing the irritated tissues an opportunity to recover.
Finding the Right Dose
Recovery is often about finding the right dosage of activity. Too little activity can lead to deconditioning and delayed return to sport. Too much activity can keep symptoms aggravated and make recovery take longer. Somewhere in the middle is the sweet spot—a level of activity that keeps you moving forward without continuously irritating the problem. This balance is different for every person and every injury, which is why individualized guidance can be so valuable.
You Don't Always Need to Stop Doing What You Love
One of the biggest misconceptions about injuries is that recovery requires completely stepping away from the activities you enjoy. In reality, many people can continue exercising, training, and participating in their sport while recovering. The key is knowing what to modify, how much to modify it, and when to progress back toward normal activity. If you've been dealing with an injury and aren't sure whether you're doing too much or too little, professional guidance can help you find that middle ground. Recovery isn't always about stopping. Often, it's about finding the smartest way to keep moving.