Pain When Exercising: When Should You Push Through and When Should You Get It Checked?
Wanting to become more active is one thing. Knowing what to do when pain gets in the way is another. With National Fitness Day taking place on 16th September, it is a timely question: what should you do when pain is stopping you from exercising?
The 2026 theme, “Powered by You”, encourages people to take small and sustainable steps towards a healthier future. However, advice to exercise more can feel frustrating when your knee, hip, back or an old injury is preventing you from doing the activities you enjoy. Perhaps you want to walk further, return to the gym or start running again, but pain keeps returning. You may be wondering whether the discomfort is normal, whether you should change the activity or whether continuing could make the problem worse.
Not every ache means you need to stop exercising. Equally, pain should not automatically be dismissed as something you must push through. The type of pain, when it appears, whether it changes your movement and how it responds afterwards can all provide useful information.
Muscle soreness versus injury: what is normal after exercise?
A new workout, returning to exercise after a break or increasing the intensity of an activity can lead to delayed onset muscle soreness, commonly known as DOMS.
This usually develops after the activity rather than at the exact moment you exercise.
Normal post exercise soreness often feels like a general ache, tenderness or stiffness in the muscles you have worked. It should gradually settle as your body recovers and adapts. The experience varies between people and activities, so there is no single recovery timetable that applies to everyone.
Muscular effort during exercise can also feel uncomfortable. A working muscle may feel tired or warm, and you may notice temporary fatigue.
This is different from sudden, sharp or localised pain that changes how you move.
When pain may be more than ordinary soreness
It is worth paying closer attention when pain feels different from normal muscle fatigue or soreness.
Signs that may justify reducing the activity and seeking advice include:
• Sharp or sudden pain during a movement
• Pain focused around a joint rather than spread through a muscle
• Swelling, bruising or instability
• Feeling as though a joint may give way
• Pain that changes the way you walk, run, lift or move
• The same pain returning whenever you perform a particular activity
• Symptoms that are becoming progressively worse
• Pain that continues despite reducing or changing the activity
These signs do not confirm a particular injury, and an online article cannot diagnose the cause. However, they may suggest that continuing without understanding the problem is not the most helpful approach.
When should you stop exercising because of pain?
The phrase “no pain, no gain” is not a reliable guide. A better approach is to consider the severity of the pain, how it behaves and whether it affects your movement.
Green
You notice normal effort, mild muscle fatigue or general soreness following an unfamiliar activity. You can continue to move comfortably and the symptoms gradually settle.
Amber
The discomfort keeps returning, is focused in one area, affects your technique or causes you to compensate. Reduce or modify the activity and consider seeking professional advice.
Red
You experience sudden severe pain, significant swelling, an obvious change in shape, loss of sensation or an inability to put weight through the affected area following an injury. Stop the activity and seek prompt medical advice.
If you have very severe joint pain following an injury, cannot walk or bear weight, notice tingling or loss of feeling, or the joint appears out of place, seek urgent medical help. If you are unsure about the level of care you need, NHS 111 can advise you.
Common types of pain during exercise
Knee pain during exercise
Knee pain may appear while walking, running, using stairs, squatting or returning to the gym.
The location of the pain alone does not reveal its cause. Changes in training, muscle capacity, joint irritation, footwear, previous injuries and movement patterns may all be relevant.
If your knee pain keeps returning, affects the way you walk or is accompanied by swelling or instability, an assessment may help identify an appropriate next step.
Hip or joint pain and osteoarthritis
Joint pain can make people nervous about movement, particularly following an osteoarthritis diagnosis. It is understandable to worry that exercise could cause further harm.
However, avoiding activity completely can reduce strength, mobility and confidence. The aim is usually to find a type and amount of movement that is appropriate for the individual.
Back pain when exercising
Back or neck discomfort can become noticeable when returning to exercise, changing a training routine or spending more time in one position at work. Some symptoms settle when the activity is adjusted. Pain that is worsening, regularly returning or accompanied by weakness, altered sensation or other concerning symptoms should be assessed.
Foot and heel pain
Foot and heel pain can quickly change the way you walk or run.
A sudden increase in activity, footwear, load and the way the foot and lower limb are working may all need to be considered. Continuing while limping or compensating can place additional demands on other parts of the body, so recurring symptoms are worth investigating.
An old sports injury that keeps returning
An old injury may feel fine during everyday life but return when speed, distance, weight or intensity increases. This can happen when the body is comfortable at one level of demand but is not yet prepared for the next. Effective rehabilitation should consider the demands of the activity you want to return to, rather than simply whether the affected area is pain free while resting.
Can you continue exercising with osteoarthritis?
Having osteoarthritis does not automatically mean that you should stop moving.
NICE recommends therapeutic exercise tailored to the individual. This may include local muscle strengthening and general aerobic fitness.
It also recognises that discomfort can increase when someone begins exercising, but regular and consistent exercise can support joint function and quality of life over time.
Exercising with osteoarthritis should be based on your symptoms, current ability, wider health considerations and personal goals.
Walking, strengthening exercises, cycling, swimming or other lower impact activities may be appropriate for some people, but there is no universal programme that suits everyone.
If pain or uncertainty is preventing you from being active, professional guidance can help you choose a suitable starting point and progress gradually.
How could Ashdown Clinic help?
Ashdown Clinic is a multidisciplinary clinic in Potters Bar. The most appropriate route will depend on your symptoms, circumstances and what an assessment identifies.
Physiotherapy
A physiotherapist can discuss your symptoms and goals before assessing areas such as movement, strength and joint function. Your individual plan may include rehabilitation, targeted exercises, hands on techniques and guidance for gradually returning to activity. Find out more about physiotherapy at Ashdown Clinic.
Osteopathy
An osteopath may assess joint mobility, muscle tension, movement and lifestyle factors that could be contributing to your discomfort. Any treatment and advice should be based on the findings of your consultation. Explore osteopathy at Ashdown Clinic.
MBST therapy
Ashdown Clinic also offers MBST using its ASF 2 machine. Following a consultation, this non invasive treatment may be considered for selected people with osteoarthritis or certain sports injuries. It will not be appropriate for everyone experiencing pain when exercising.
A consultation allows the clinic to discuss whether MBST may be suitable, what the treatment involves, its potential benefits and its limitations. The purpose of an assessment is not simply to attach a treatment to a symptom. It is to understand the problem, identify an appropriate route and help you make informed decisions about movement and recovery.
The key message
Pain when exercising does not always mean that you must stop being active.
Normal muscle soreness, temporary fatigue and the effort of a challenging session can all be part of exercise. However, sharp, worsening, recurring or movement altering pain deserves attention.
Notice when the pain appears, what it feels like, whether it changes how you move and how it responds following the activity. These details can help a health professional understand what may be contributing to the problem.
If pain is making it difficult to exercise or return to an activity you enjoy, an assessment can help you understand the problem and identify an appropriate way forward.
Ashdown Clinic
81 High Street, Potters Bar
Comments