Neck pain and tension headaches
Stiffness, restricted turning, and the headaches that come from the base of the skull — the classic desk-work complaint.
Also called: stiff neck, tech neck, tension headache
Injury guide
Where does it hurt?
A plain-English guide to what is commonly seen, what usually causes it, and what treatment involves. It is a starting point for understanding your pain — not a diagnosis.
Start with where it hurts
Pick the area on the figure, or scroll the list. Each page covers what the problem typically feels like, what usually causes it, and how it is treated.
One thing worth saying plainly: pain is often felt somewhere other than the place causing it. Shoulder pain can come from the neck; knee pain usually comes from the hip. That is exactly why this guide points you at an assessment rather than trying to tell you what you have.
Neck
Stiffness, restricted turning, and the headaches that come with it.
Whiplash and neck strain
Neck pain after a sudden jolt — a car shunt, a heavy tackle, a bad fall — often worse the next morning than at the time.
Also called: whiplash, neck sprain, wry neck
Upper back
Between the shoulder blades — the ache that arrives by mid-afternoon at a desk.
Upper back and shoulder blade pain
The burning ache between the shoulder blades that builds through the afternoon and eases the moment you stand up.
Also called: thoracic pain, pain between the shoulder blades, desk back
Shoulder
Overhead pain, restricted reach, and pain that wakes you at night.
Shoulder pain
Pain reaching overhead or behind you, a shoulder that will not move freely, or pain that wakes you when you roll onto it.
Also called: rotator cuff pain, shoulder impingement, frozen shoulder
Frozen shoulder
A shoulder that has gradually stopped moving — not just painful, but genuinely stuck, in every direction.
Also called: adhesive capsulitis, stiff shoulder
Rotator cuff pain and impingement
Pain in a specific arc as you lift the arm — fine at the bottom, painful in the middle, often easier again at the top.
Also called: rotator cuff syndrome, shoulder impingement, swimmer's shoulder
Elbow & forearm
Gripping pain, and pain on the outside or inside of the elbow.
Tennis elbow and golfer's elbow
Pain on the outside or inside of the elbow when gripping — and usually nothing to do with tennis or golf.
Also called: lateral epicondylitis, medial epicondylitis, elbow tendinopathy
Wrist & hand
Numbness, tingling, and pain at the base of the thumb or into the fingers.
Wrist pain, carpal tunnel and RSI
Numbness, tingling or pain in the hand and wrist — often worse at night, often from repetitive work.
Also called: carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive strain injury, de Quervain's
Lower back
The most common problem through the door. Stiffness, ache, spasm — and pain that spreads into the buttock.
Lower back pain
The most common problem through the door — stiffness, a deep ache, or a back that has locked up and will not move.
Also called: back pain, lumbago, bad back
Sciatica and referred leg pain
Pain travelling from the back or buttock down the leg — sometimes nerve, often muscle, and worth telling apart.
Also called: sciatica, trapped nerve, piriformis syndrome
Hip & groin
Groin pain at the front, deep glute ache at the back, restricted rotation either way.
Hip and groin pain
Deep hip ache, restricted rotation, or groin pain on sprinting, kicking and changing direction.
Also called: hip flexor strain, groin strain, hip impingement
Hip bursitis and outer hip pain
Sharp pain on the bony point at the side of the hip — worst lying on it at night, or climbing stairs.
Also called: trochanteric bursitis, greater trochanteric pain syndrome, lateral hip pain
Thigh & hamstring
The back-of-thigh injury that ends seasons, and the front-of-thigh dead leg.
Hamstring strain
The sudden grab at the back of the thigh during a sprint — and the injury most likely to come back if rushed.
Also called: pulled hamstring, hamstring tear, torn hamstring
Knee
Pain at the front of the knee, or on the outside when running.
Runner's knee and front-of-knee pain
Pain around or behind the kneecap, or on the outside of the knee when running — usually a loading problem, not damage.
Also called: patellofemoral pain, ITB syndrome, jumper's knee
Jumper's knee and patellar tendinopathy
Pain on the tendon just below the kneecap — from jumping, landing and heavy squatting.
Also called: patellar tendonitis, jumper's knee, patella tendinopathy
Calf & shin
Shin pain at the front when running; calf tightness, cramping and Achilles trouble at the back.
Shin splints and calf tightness
Aching along the inside of the shin when running, and calves that stay tight no matter how much you stretch.
Also called: medial tibial stress syndrome, shin pain, calf strain
Achilles tendinopathy
Pain and stiffness in the tendon above the heel — worst on the first steps of the morning.
Also called: achilles tendonitis, achilles pain, heel cord pain
Calf strain and tears
A sudden sharp pain in the calf mid-stride — often described as feeling like being kicked from behind.
Also called: pulled calf, calf tear, tennis leg
Foot & ankle
Heel pain on the first steps of the morning, and ankle stiffness after a sprain.
Plantar fasciitis and heel pain
Sharp heel pain on the first steps in the morning, easing as you move, returning after sitting.
Also called: plantar heel pain, heel spur, foot pain
Ankle sprain
The rolled ankle — extremely common, usually treated too casually, and the reason many people go on to roll it repeatedly.
Also called: rolled ankle, twisted ankle, ligament sprain
All over, or not sure
Soreness after training, cramp, and the aches that do not belong to one place.
Muscle soreness and cramp
The soreness that arrives two days after training, and the cramp that stops you mid-session. Usually normal, occasionally not.
Also called: DOMS, delayed onset muscle soreness, cramp, stitch
How long will it take?
The honest answer is that it depends on what the tissue actually did — but injuries move through recognisable stages, and knowing which one you are in tells you what should be happening now.
Acute
First 2–4 days
Pain, bleeding and swelling are at their worst. The body is protecting the area from further damage.
Settle it down — rest, ice, compression and elevation. This is not the stage for deep massage on the injury itself.
Sub-acute
Up to about 6 weeks
New tissue is being laid down and scar tissue is starting to mature and strengthen.
Hands-on work begins properly — soft tissue techniques, trigger point work, joint mobilisation and early loading, to stop stiffness and weakness setting in.
Remodelling
From roughly 6 weeks
Scar tissue reorganises and gains strength, but it lays down disorganised if it is not loaded.
Progressive strengthening and a graded return to your sport. This is the stage most people skip, and it is why injuries come back.
If something actually tore
| Grade | What it means | Typical healing |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | Mild — a few fibres damaged | 4–6 weeks |
| Grade 2 | Moderate — a partial tear | 6–10 weeks |
| Grade 3 | Severe — a complete tear | 12 weeks to 6 months |
Ligament sprains graded by severity. Muscle and tendon strains follow the same pattern. Grade 3 injuries need medical assessment, not massage.