But other types of pain and soreness should prompt you to take a different action, whether that’s to take a few days of recovery or seek medical treatment. Here are eight workout red flags worth paying attention to, why these symptoms matter, and what to do about them.
1. Chest pain or shortness of breath that doesn’t let up.
Sure, a high-intensity sweat session can make your heart pump harder, your breath quicken, and may even cause a burning-like feeling in your lungs and chest. And if you’re going hard, chances are you’re not going to be able to muster enough breath to eke out more than a few words at once, let alone full sentences. But chest pain or shortness of breath that’s severe or that doesn’t improve when you slow down can be a sign of a heart attack or other serious cardiac event, Ashley Austin, MD, primary sports medicine physician at Hospital for Special Surgery, tells SELF.
That’s especially true if the sensations feel wildly out of proportion to what you usually experience during a given effort. “A person training for a marathon who runs 80 miles a week and starts having chest pain that stops them from running is worrisome to me,” she says, whereas someone running for the first time and feeling out of breath during their workout isn’t nearly as concerning.
Regardless of your fitness level, stay alert for other cardiac warning signs, too: pain that radiates down your arm or jaw, unusual fatigue, and fainting or almost fainting. If you experience them—or chest pain or shortness of breath that prevents you from exercising at all, or doesn’t go away if you stop—call for medical help right away. And if you’re on the fence about whether a milder symptom is a big deal or not, err on the side of caution and give your doctor a ring to find out, Dr. Austin says.
2. Pain that’s sharp, stabbing, or focused in a small area.
Unlike the all-over ache linked to normal workout-related soreness, pain that’s focal, or pinpointed to a smaller area, is more worrisome, Dr. Pavao says.
If this type of pain is over a bone—for example, on the bony part of your shin or fifth metatarsal, the long bone on the outside of your foot—it can signal a bone stress injury, a swelling or small break that comes from overuse, Dr. Pavao says.
Meanwhile, a sudden, sharp pain may be a sign of tendon or muscle strain, an injury that occurs when the tissue is overstretched or torn. “Don’t be surprised that that pain also gets a little more diffuse and spreads, but if there’s an area you can put your finger on and it’s really exquisitely tender, that can absolutely be a warning sign,” he says.
While these injuries usually don’t merit an emergency visit, it’s still a good idea to check in with a medical pro like a sports medicine physician or physical therapist, especially if the pain is severe or doesn’t improve with rest, Dr. Pavao says. Severe swelling and bruising are red flags, too, Dr. Short says. In some cases—for instance, a ruptured tendon—you might not heal properly without medical attention.
3. Shooting pain, numbness, or tingling.
Pain that doesn’t stay in one place—for instance, it starts in your back or hip, but then radiates down your arm or leg—is a sign that an issue may involve more than your muscles, Dr. Pavao says. You could have a compressed or damaged nerve, possibly beginning in your neck or another area of your spine.
