Not Every Sore Joint Is a Sports Injury
Part of the role of a Sport & Exercise Medicine Physician is recognising when joint pain, swelling, or stiffness is caused by an underlying medical condition rather than a mechanical injury. Getting this right matters - because the treatment for inflammatory arthritis is completely different from the treatment for a ligament sprain or tendinopathy.
Sometimes what feels like a sports injury is actually a sign of something else going on in your body. If your pain doesn't follow a typical injury pattern, involves multiple joints, or hasn't responded to standard musculoskeletal treatment, specialist assessment can help identify the cause.
Inflammatory Arthropathies
- Rheumatoid arthritis - An autoimmune condition causing joint inflammation, pain, and swelling, typically affecting the small joints of the hands and feet symmetrically.
- Ankylosing spondylitis - Inflammatory condition primarily affecting the spine and sacroiliac joints, causing back stiffness particularly in the morning.
- Psoriatic arthritis - Joint inflammation associated with psoriasis, which can affect any joint and may cause tendon and ligament involvement.
Crystal Arthropathies
- Gout - Acute, intensely painful joint swelling caused by uric acid crystal deposition. Most commonly affects the big toe but can involve any joint.
- Pseudogout (CPPD) - Calcium pyrophosphate crystal deposition, often affecting the knee or wrist.
Other Conditions
- Reactive arthritis - Joint inflammation triggered by infection elsewhere in the body.
- Connective tissue disorders - Including lupus (SLE) and other systemic conditions that can present with joint and muscle symptoms.
- Fibromyalgia - Widespread musculoskeletal pain with fatigue, often overlapping with other conditions.
Red Flags to Consider
- Joint pain or swelling that moves between joints
- Morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes that improves with movement
- Pain that doesn't follow a typical mechanical injury pattern
- Multiple joints affected simultaneously
- Symptoms not responding to standard musculoskeletal treatment
- Associated skin rashes, eye inflammation, or systemic symptoms
What Happens Next?
When an inflammatory or systemic cause is identified or suspected, I arrange appropriate investigations (blood tests, imaging) and coordinate referral to rheumatology or the appropriate specialist, ensuring continuity of care and a clear handover. If the diagnosis is musculoskeletal after all, I provide the treatment directly.