Why Injuries Happen When You're Doing Well? - Saffron Walden Massage Blog

It’s one of the biggest ironies in sport & fitness

You’re training well, feeling strong, improving fast… and then suddenly, you get injured.

It feels unfair, but there’s actually a lot of science and psychology behind why this happens.

Most of my recovery & massage clients in Saffron Walden come in when everything was going to plan!

Runners in Saffron Walden doing more miles and feeling strong..

Weight lifters hitting some personal bests

Why might this happen?

1. Increased Load and Momentum

When you’re in a good rhythm, motivation and performance go up , and so does your training load. You push a little harder, train a bit longer, or lift a bit heavier. It’s rarely a sudden “big mistake”

It’s the accumulated load that tips you over. The tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments) haven’t had quite enough time to adapt to that new level of stress.

2. Confidence Can Turn Into Overreaching

Feeling great can sometimes blur the line between confidence and overconfidence. You might skip a rest day, train through a niggle, or ignore fatigue because everything feels so good. The same drive that fuels improvement can, without balance lead to breakdown.

3. Cumulative Fatigue

Progress doesn’t mean you’re fully recovered. Sometimes athletes build fatigue in layers it doesn’t feel like much day to day, but after several weeks of high performance, the body is operating in a deficit. That’s when tendons flare up, muscles tighten, and minor weaknesses show up as injuries.

4. Psychological Blind Spots

When you’re performing well, your brain focuses on progress, not protection. You’re less likely to notice warning signs like stiffness, reduced sleep, or irritability are all early signs of overtraining.

5. Adaptation Lag

Your nervous system and cardiovascular fitness can improve faster than your tissues. So even though you feel fitter, your tendons and connective tissues are still catching up — and that’s when injuries happen.

The Lesson

Injury often happens not because you’re doing something wrong , but because you’re doing too much right without enough recovery. The key is to balance ambition with awareness. Rest and recovery aren’t the opposite of progress, they’re what make progress last.

The Apex Recovery Room Way

Having regular treatments in Sports Massage with the recovery tools i offer will reduce the risk of injury. I also believe in tackling the mental challenges such as trying to not over train.