The 3 Most Overlooked Signs of Injury (That Don’t Actually Hurt)

When most people think about injuries, they think about pain. The sudden ping in the hamstring. The sharp jab in the knee. The ache in the lower back that makes you mutter under your breath.

But here’s the thing: pain isn’t always the first (or only) signal that something’s up. Sometimes, your body gives you more subtle clues before pain arrives on the scene.

And no — this isn’t me trying to scare you into thinking every stiff ankle means impending doom. Far from it. I’m firmly in the “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it” camp.

However...

This is about awareness. Knowing what to keep an eye on so that, if those niggles do become a pattern, you’re not caught off guard and sidelined from the things you enjoy.

So let’s look at three of the most common signs that something might not be quite right — even when it doesn’t actually hurt — and most importantly what you can do about them.

1. Stiffness That Disappears After a Warm-Up

We’ve all been there. You roll out of bed, your ankle feels like it belongs to the Tin Man or your knee creaks like a rusty gate. Ten minutes into your run or a kickabout and — like magic — it’s gone. Sorted, right?

Not necessarily. That morning stiffness (or “first few minutes” stiffness) can be your body’s way of saying:

• A tendon is grumbling.

• A joint isn’t moving as freely as it should.

• There’s a low-level irritation that settles once blood flow kicks in.

  
  

On its own, it’s not a disaster. But if it’s happening regularly, it’s your cue to do something about it.

What you can do:

• Mobility work: A short daily routine targeting the stiff area (e.g., ankle circles, knee bends, hip openers).

• Strengthening the weak link: If it’s your Achilles, think calf raises; if it’s the hip, think glute bridges or clams. Tendons in particular respond really well to isometric work at different ranges as well as eccentric loads.

• Warm-up properly: Don’t just go from sofa to sprint. Give your body 5–10 minutes of easy movement before going full throttle, keep this a specific as possible towards the activity you are about to par take in.

  
  

Think of it as greasing the hinges before the door starts squeaking.

2. Loss of Strength or Power

This one’s sneaky. It’s not pain — it’s performance.

Maybe you’re not sprinting quite as sharply as usual. Maybe your jump height has dropped. Maybe that dumbbell you usually press with ease suddenly feels like it’s doubled in weight.

The temptation? To shrug it off as a “bad day at the office” or just “getting older.” But sometimes, a loss of strength or power (especially on one side) can be an early indicator of an issue with the muscle, tendon or even nerve.

What you can do:

• Compare sides: Notice if one leg/arm is weaker. That imbalance matters, especially in the long term.

• Single-leg/arm training: Add in split squats, single-leg deadlifts, single-arm presses/pulls. These expose and fix strength gaps/imbalances.

• Track your lifts or runs: If you log your numbers, you’ll spot drops sooner. If strength consistently dips, it’s worth a check-in.

• Don’t just “push through”: Training harder when your body feels weaker often backfires — scale intensity, not frequency, until things balance up.

• Consider other factors: As well as tracking your lifts and/or runs, consider tracking food intake, sleep and hydration. All of which can play a role in peaks and troughs in performance.

• Training Structure: Consider your overall training structure. It’s unlikely you’ll be able to train towards a 1 rep max lift whilst simultaneously chasing a half marathon PB. Something has to give.

• Training Load: It’s also important to consider your over training load. Are you/or have you been doing too much and is your body simply asking for a rest or download period.

  
  

With dips in performance it’s vital to look at the whole picture. A thoroughly thought out training programme will account for peaks and troughs in performance and accepts that you aren’t going to be at your peak all of the time. But if your performance significantly drops off out of the blue that’s when alarm bells should be ringing.

3. Instability or ‘Not Trusting’ a Joint

This is that “something doesn’t feel right” sensation. Not pain. Not even weakness. Just the feeling that your knee might give way when you’re going downstairs or your ankle wobbles more than it should on uneven ground.

Often, this links to ligaments, cartilage or even the proprioception (your body’s balance/position awareness system) around a joint.

What you can do:

• Balance training: Start simple — stand on one leg while brushing your teeth. Progress to single-leg squats or hops.

• Strength around the joint: Quads and glutes for knees; calves and peroneals for ankles; core stability for the whole chain, try some farmers walks for the shoulders and maybe even some shoulder taps if you feel up to it.

• Controlled exposure: Don’t avoid tricky surfaces forever — gradually build confidence on uneven ground instead of dodging it completely.

• If it keeps happening: Book in with a professional. Instability that repeats is often the body’s way of asking for backup and can often lead to compensations and further aches and pains elsewhere as the body tries to pick up the slack.

Think of stability like scaffolding — you don’t notice it when it’s strong, but you definitely notice when it’s shaky.

Wrap-Up: Listen to the Whispers Before They Shout

Here’s the bottom line: pain isn’t the only sign of injury, but no pain doesn’t mean no problem either.

• Stiffness that always needs a warm-up.

• Strength that seems to have dropped off.

• Joints that don’t feel as trustworthy as they once did.

On their own, these things aren’t a reason to panic. We all get stiff, can feel a bit weak or a bit wobbly from time to time. But if they become a pattern — if they crop up consistently, last longer or start affecting what you can do — that’s your body giving you a nudge.

And the earlier you listen, the easier it usually is to sort.

So no, don’t go hunting for problems if you feel absolutely fine. But equally, don’t ignore the warning lights on the dashboard just because the car’s still running.

If something doesn’t feel quite right — even if it doesn’t hurt — it might be your body whispering before it starts shouting. And trust me, it’s a lot easier (and quicker) to deal with those whispers.