Muscle soreness is to be expected with regular exercise. But how do you know when your pain points to something serious?

Here's a top-to-bottom look at common workout injuries—with advice on when to lie low and when to see your doctor.

Rotator cuff

Back pain

Golfer's/Tennis elbow

Shin splints

Plantar fasciitis

Rotator cuff

Causing pain to one of the four muscles in the shoulder, rotator cuff injuries can be brought on by weight lifting, baseball, tennis, or skiing. They are most common in men over 40.

“If you have any kind of limitation in range of motion, like lifting your arm forward, high, or to the back, then you could have a rotator cuff injury,” says Andrea Groth, MS, Kaiser Permanente wellness consultant.

TREATMENT: Rest and ice plus the use of an anti-inflammatory medicine such as ibuprofen should help. “If it’s not better in a couple of weeks, see the doctor,” Groth says, adding that if you have extreme motion limitation you should not delay seeing your doctor. You could have “frozen shoulder” syndrome.

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 Back pain

Hunching over the handlebars while riding a stationary bike, weight lifting with bad form, and wearing improper running shoes all can lead to back pain. 

Even failing to stretch properly at the end of a workout can tighten your hamstrings, which places pressure on the lower back.

TREATMENT: Rest, ibuprofen, and ice may help.

In the long run, so can proper muscle-strengthening and weight loss. “If it doesn’t get better in two weeks, see your doctor,” Groth urges. If pain extends below your knee or if you feel numbness in the leg, foot, or groin, call your doctor immediately.

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 “Golfer’s” or “tennis” elbow

Whether you’re gripping golf clubs or a tennis racket—or even lifting weights—pain caused by tendon inflammation can be severe.

Such cases of tendonitis are often brought on by overuse or flawed mechanics.

TREATMENT: See your doctor. “While it can be just an overuse injury, it also can be a degenerative condition,” Groth says.

It also helps to work on any problems with form, which could be putting unnecessary strain on your joints.

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Shin splints

A very common injury for runners and soccer players, shin splints can cause intense pain along the shin bone.

Not to be confused with muscle soreness, shin splints are the result of a muscle imbalance, Groth says. This usually means that your calf muscle is stronger than your shin muscle.

TREATMENT: Wearing proper shoes, RICE—rest, ice, compression, and elevation—treatment, and strengthening exercises should do the trick.

Groth also recommends this one: Stand on a set of stairs and firmly grasp the rail. Let your toes hang off the edge of the step, then lift them toward your shin.

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Plantar fasciitis

Extreme heel pain after sleeping or prolonged rest is the hallmark of plantar fasciitis.

Runners and tennis players often suffer from this strange-sounding but common condition, which essentially means the fascia—the tissue that connects your heel bone to your toes—becomes inflamed.

The condition worsens overnight because the fascia tightens during sleep and rest.

TREATMENT: Don’t try to self-treat this one. “You definitely should see your doctor,” Groth says, adding that he or she may recommend a night foot splint, custom-made orthotics, or other treatment measures.

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