Many people get into the groove during exercise and forget about some key principles for safe and effective workouts. Exercising when you have pain is one of them, and it's the fastest way to develop a serious or persistent injury. Minor aches and pains can easily become chronic overuse injuries that plague us for years. If you feel pain during exercise, stop, rest and look for the cause of the pain. Sometimes all you need to do is make some minor adjustments to your equipment or body position to eliminate pain.

For example, if you are hiking and feel the telltale burning sensation of a blister developing on your heel, immediate treatment may prevent the problem altogether. Letting it progress may lead to a painful and long-lasting blister than might take you off the trail for a week or more. Pain is your body's way of warning you of a problem. Pay attention and you will often find you can quickly recover and return to training faster than if you push through.

Also See:

• Chronic Overuse Injuries
• Injury Warning Signs
• Should I Ice or Heat My Sports Injury?
• How To Train Through Sports Injuries