Why Old Lower Extremity Injuries Don’t Really Go Away (And How They Lead to Knee, Hip, and Back Pain)
Most people think injuries are temporary.
You roll your ankle.
Your knee flares up during a run.
Your hip gets tight.
You rest… it feels better… and you move on.
But here’s the problem:
Pain going away doesn’t mean function is restored.
If mobility or stability never fully returns, your body adapts.
Those compensations quietly build for years — until pain shows up somewhere else.
In rehab, we call this the kinetic chain.
When one joint underperforms, the joints above it take the stress.
Chronic Ankle Sprains: The Hidden Starting Point
Ankle sprains are incredibly common — and rarely rehabbed correctly.
Most people rest and return to activity, but skip:
balance training
strength work
mobility restoration
The result?
Lingering stiffness, weakness, and poor stability.
When the ankle can’t move or absorb force well, that stress shifts upward — usually to the knee.
Knee Pain During Running Isn’t Always a Knee Problem
The knee is designed to bend and straighten — not twist or compensate.
But when the ankle lacks mobility or the hip lacks strength, the knee becomes the shock absorber.
That’s when we see:
Runner’s knee
Tendinitis
IT band irritation
Recurring swelling
Often the knee isn’t the true cause — it’s just where symptoms show up.
Hip Dysfunction → Low Back Pain
If ankles are stiff and knees unstable, the hips and low back start compensating.
Common patterns include:
weak glutes
tight hip flexors
poor single-leg control
overworked low back muscles
The lumbar spine ends up moving too much when it should be stable — leading to chronic tightness and flare-ups.
Sometimes that “back problem” actually started at the foot years ago.
The Big Picture
Your body is one connected system.
Treating only where it hurts rarely fixes the root cause.
Long-term solutions focus on:
restoring mobility
rebuilding strength
improving balance
correcting movement patterns
Not just masking symptoms.
Need Help Connecting the Dots?
If you’ve had old ankle sprains, recurring knee pain, tight hips, or stubborn low back issues, the problem may be higher or lower than you think.
At New Edge Spine & Sport, we use full movement screens and active rehab to address the true source — not just the symptom.
New Edge Spine & Sport
321 Regis Ave Ste 1, Pittsburgh, PA 15236
📞 412-386-8285