Why runners and gym-goers keep getting the same injuries.

If you run, lift or play sport regularly, you probably know the feeling. An old injury you thought was sorted turns up again, often at the worst possible time, like a few weeks out from a race or just as you were getting back into a routine.

Repeat injuries are frustrating, but they're also very common. The good news is that they usually follow a pattern, and patterns can be changed. This guide explains why the same spots keep flaring and what tends to help.

The repeat-injury pattern

A common cycle goes something like this. You feel a niggle, ease off for a week or two until it stops hurting, then go straight back to your usual training. The pain has gone, but the tissue hasn't had a chance to get stronger. A few weeks later, the same niggle is back.

Pain settling doesn't always mean an area is ready for full load again. Tendons and muscles adapt to what you ask of them, and that takes time. Rest can calm things down, but on its own it doesn't build the capacity you need to handle your training.

Rest helps an injury settle. Gradual, progressive loading is usually what stops it coming back.

The usual suspects

Some areas come up again and again in runners and gym-goers:

A previous injury in an area is one of the more consistent risk factors for injuring it again, which is why it pays to rehab properly the first time.

Load spikes and overuse

Most running and gym injuries are overuse injuries. That doesn't mean you've done too much in total. It usually means you've done more than your body was ready for, too quickly. Common triggers include:

• A sudden jump in training, such as adding extra runs, a long run or a big increase in weights

• A new type of training, like hills, speed work, plyometrics or a new program

• Coming back after time off and picking up where you left off

• Changes in equipment or surface, such as new shoes or switching from trails to roads

• Technique that slips when you're tired, especially late in a session

Small, steady increases tend to be easier on your body than big jumps. A coach, physio or myotherapist can help you plan a sensible progression for your training.

It also helps to keep a simple training log. Jotting down distance, sessions, weights and how your body felt makes it much easier to spot what changed before a niggle appeared. Many people find the same trigger shows up each time, such as a new block of hill sessions or a busy fortnight with less sleep.

Recovery and sleep

Training is only half the equation. Your body adapts during recovery, so if recovery is short-changed, the same training load can start to feel heavier. Things that affect recovery include:

If you're tired, sore for days after sessions or noticing more niggles than usual, it may be a sign to ease back for a while rather than push through.

Coming back too soon

Returning too fast is one of the biggest reasons injuries recur. A gradual return usually works better than an all-or-nothing approach. Your therapist or physio may suggest:

• Strength work for the injured area, such as calf raises for calves and Achilles, or targeted hamstring exercises, built up over weeks

• A staged return, starting with shorter, easier sessions and increasing step by step

• Using pain as a guide. Mild discomfort that settles by the next day is often acceptable. Pain that builds during a session or is worse the next morning is a sign to scale back.

• Testing before racing or sprinting, making sure you can handle easier versions of your sport first

Where hands-on therapy fits

Sports massage and myotherapy are popular with runners and gym-goers, and many people find them helpful. It's worth being clear about what they can and can't do.

A sensible approach is to use hands-on treatment to help you feel better and keep moving, while the strength and training changes do the heavy lifting on recurrence. On the directory, you can browse Sports Massage or Myotherapy, or filter by Sports injury to find therapists who list it.

See a GP or go to an emergency department promptly, rather than booking a massage, if you have:

• A sudden pop, snap or feeling of being kicked at the back of the ankle, especially with trouble walking or pushing off. This can be an Achilles rupture.

• An injury you can't put weight on, or a joint that looks out of shape

• Calf pain with swelling, warmth or redness, particularly after a long flight, a long drive or surgery. This needs checking for a blood clot.

• Bone pain that gets worse with running or jumping and is tender to touch in one spot, which can be a sign of a stress fracture

• A hot, red, swollen joint, or pain with a fever

• Numbness, pins and needles or weakness travelling down a leg

If an injury keeps coming back despite rest and treatment, it's also worth getting a full assessment from a GP, physio or sports doctor to look at the bigger picture.

This guide is general information, not medical advice. Sports injuries vary a lot from person to person, so see your GP or a qualified health practitioner for an assessment, especially if pain is severe, getting worse or stopping you from walking normally.