Shoulder muscle strains and tears are some of the most common injuries that athletes and everyday individuals experience during physical activity, and unfortunately they are also some of the most ignored types of injuries from a rest and recovery standpoint. Many people try to go on with their day like normal or don’t step away from athletic activity after a muscle injury because they assume it will just heal in a few days anyway.
This mindset can be dangerous for a number of reasons, especially because ignoring a muscle injury can lead to a host of related pains and health issues. Below, we explain why ignoring a muscle injury can lead to more pain and injury.
Why Ignoring Muscle Injuries Can Lead To More Pain
Even if your muscle injury isn’t forcing you off the soccer field or actively inhibiting your gait, you need to actively treat the problem instead of just going on with your day and assuming time alone will heal the tissue. When you ignore a muscle injury, it is slower to heal and that means other areas of your body have to compensate for the weakened area. Now more stress is being channeled to areas that aren’t used to handling this stress, and this increases your risk of an overuse or overstress injury.
Direct injuries aren’t the only issue that can develop as a result of an ignored muscle injury. For example, when a muscle is injured, your tendons tend to be required to do more work. This added stress on the tendon makes inflammation more likely, which can develop into tendonitis. Now instead of a muscle strain in your arm, you’re also dealing with shoulder tendonitis, which requires its own intervention.
Other problems that can develop in a joint that is feeling more stress while compensating for a weakened muscle include:
- Localized pain
- Swelling
- Decreased range of motion
- Stiffness
- Posture-related problems
It’s not just the surrounding tissues that can be affected by your decision not to actively treat the muscle injury. The muscle itself is in a vulnerable state, and if it’s not protected and helped to heal, a more severe injury can develop. A strain can turn into a full blown muscle tear, taking your recovery timeline from days to weeks or months.
