Getting hurt is frustrating. Whether you play sports or just like to stay active, an injury can mess up your routine and make even simple movements harder. But the original injury might not be your only problem.
When one part of your body is hurt, other parts work harder to make up for it. This can lead to a second injury, called a compensation injury. Secondary injuries occur after an initial injury to a muscle, tendon or bone.
“Your body works as a unit or a kinetic chain,” said Kaleigh Suhs, DO, an orthopedic sports medicine specialist with Banner Health. “When one part of your body is injured, your body adjusts to the primary injury by overusing other muscles or structures to compensate for the deficit.”
Your body is trying to help, but this extra strain can cause new pain and injuries over time. Read on to learn more about compensation injuries and how to prevent them.
How compensation injuries happen
As Dr. Suhs mentioned, your body has an amazing way of adapting or picking up the slack when a muscle or joint isn’t working as it should. But the way your body compensates isn’t always helpful.
Here’s how it happens:
- Altering your movement: If you have a sore foot, you might limp or shift your weight to the other side. This can put stress on your hip, knee or lower back. “One example is when you injure your knee and may be walking with a limp or restricted motion in the knee,” Dr. Suhs said. “You can develop pain in the calf, hamstring (upper thigh) or even the hip and back region because these parts are overworking to compensate for your injury.”
- Muscle imbalances: If one muscle is weaker or injured, other muscles work harder. Over time, this can lead to tightness, weakness or strain in the overworked muscles.
- Postural changes: even a small injury, like a sore shoulder, can change how you sit, stand or move. Poor posture from compensation can cause neck pain, back pain and even headaches.
Some of the most common types of compensation injuries include:
- Knee pain after an ankle injury
- Hip pain after a knee injury
- Back pain after a foot injury
- Neck or shoulder pain after a wrist or hand injury
How to prevent compensation injuries
The best way to prevent a compensation injury is to heal your primary injury correctly. Ignoring pain or pushing through it (walking it off) can set you up for bigger problems down the road.
Dr. Suhs shared some tips on how you can try to avoid another injury:
- Follow a treatment plan: Work with your health care provider or a physical therapist who can guide your recovery. “Physical therapy can help you regain range of motion and function in the injured body part while also assessing surrounding structures and making sure they are not tight or overcompensating,” Dr. Suhs said. “They can evaluate your movement patterns to ensure you are not setting yourself up for a secondary injury.”
- Use supportive equipment: Your provider may recommend medical equipment such as crutches, a brace or a walking boot to reduce strain on the injured area and prevent bad movement patterns.
- Take things slow: Give yourself time to rest and recover. Rushing back into activity too soon can set you up for more problems. Even if your injury feels better, make sure you ease back into your normal routine. Warm up properly. Slowly work your way back to full recovery.
- Strengthen support muscles: A well-rounded strength program can keep your whole body working well.
- Don’t ignore minor aches and pains: Pain is your body’s way of telling you something isn’t right. If you notice pain in a new area after an injury, don’t ignore it. Talk to your provider or physical therapist.
- See a specialist: “If you have an initial injury that isn’t improving quickly with proper rest, stretching, ice and over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, see an experienced sports medicine provider for further evaluation and treatment,” Dr. Suhs said.
What to do if you have a compensation injury
Your body naturally will try to compensate when you are injured, so don’t beat yourself up (even more) if you do get a secondary injury. If you suspect you have another injury, don’t wait for it to get worse.
- Rest and ice: If the pain is new, give your body time to recover. Ice can help reduce inflammation and swelling.
- Check your movement: Try to notice if you’re walking, sitting or moving differently than usual. Adjust as needed.
- Stretch and strengthen: Gentle stretching and strengthening exercises might help but be careful not to push through pain.
- See a health care professional: A health care provider, physical therapist or athletic trainer. They can help you correct movement patterns and prevent further issues.
Takeaway
Recovering from an injury is more than just waiting for the pain to go away. If you don’t properly care for your body, you could end up with a compensation injury that makes things even worse. By following a good rehab plan, paying attention to your movement and seeking professional care when needed, you can safely return to your active lifestyle.
Do not ignore any injuries that change how you walk or move. If you’re not healing as expected, seek care from an experienced sports medicine provider or a Banner Health specialist. Taking proper steps now can save you from bigger problems later.
