Muscle strain

Martina Feichter studied biology with an elective subject pharmacy in Innsbruck and also immersed herself in the world of medicinal plants. From there it was not far to other medical topics that still captivate her to this day. She trained as a journalist at the Axel Springer Academy in Hamburg and has been working for since 2007 - first as an editor and since 2012 as a freelance writer.

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A muscle strain is the result of overstretching the muscle. The cause is often a sudden overload. In principle, you can pull any skeletal muscle. Muscle strains particularly often affect the back, thigh and calf muscles. Read everything you need to know about the topic here: How does a strain develop? What symptoms does it trigger? How is it diagnosed? And: what to do if there is a muscle strain?

Muscle strain: description

What is a strain? What is meant by this is muscle strain, it is one of the most common sports injuries. But it can also happen in everyday life that you pull a muscle through unnatural movement or acute overload.

From pulled muscles to torn muscles

Muscle strain is the easiest form of overloading a muscle. Even greater stress usually causes individual muscle fibers to tear (muscle fiber tear). This can also happen if you ignore a muscle strain and continue to train despite an injury.

The injury is even more pronounced in the case of a muscle bundle tear. A whole bundle of muscle fibers tears. In extreme cases, if the whole muscle is completely severed, it is called a muscle tear.

Muscle strain: symptoms

A pulled muscle manifests itself as pulling, cramp-like pain, which usually develops slowly and gradually gets worse. The (sporting) activity can usually not be continued. Stretching and contracting the pulled muscle hurts. The affected muscle area feels painfully tense - a feeling that cannot be dispelled even by shaking, gently massaging or loosening movements.

Muscle strain: causes and risk factors

A muscle strain occurs when the muscle is overstretched. This can happen, for example, with unnatural movements or with sudden excessive stress. Such a strain often affects the thigh muscles and sometimes the back muscles. Many people, especially athletes, are also familiar with the feeling of a strain in their calves.

Various factors favor muscle strains or other muscle injuries. These include, for example, a lack of warm-up before exercise, overloading already tired muscles, inadequate fitness, poor fitness or the wrong footwear.

No tissue damage

In the event of a muscle strain, the muscle in question was overstretched, i.e. stretched beyond the limit of its elasticity. However, this did not result in any tissue damage. If, on the other hand, the overstretching leads to a rupture of individual muscle fibers (often combined with bleeding into the tissue), a muscle fiber rupture is present.

Muscle strain: examinations and diagnosis

If a muscle injury (such as a strain) is suspected, the doctor first inquires about the symptoms and the mechanism of the injury. Possible questions are:

How did the injury happen?
Where exactly are you in pain?
Do you have any other complaints?

This is followed by the physical examination. The doctor feels the injured part of the body. He checks the muscle hardness and whether the area is tender. It also tests whether stretching or straining the muscle is causing pain and reducing muscle strength.

Muscle strain: treatment

A muscle strain is treated conservatively. When asked: "Muscle strain - cool or warm?" One should refer to the first aid measures according to the PECH scheme:

Break: break off sporting activity and conserve muscles
Ice: cool the injured area for at least 20 minutes (e.g. with an ice pack or a cold compress)
Compression: put on an elastic pressure bandage
Elevating an injured limb

After the acute phase, as soon as the pain subsides due to the cooling and the increased muscle tension subsides, you can move the pulled muscle carefully again. Gentle, light stretching exercises are recommended, where the stretch is held for six to eight minutes (i.e. no short bobbing movements).

In professional athletes in particular, muscle strain is often treated further, for example with lymphatic drainage, electrotherapy, tape bandages or massage.

Muscle strain: disease course and prognosis

In the event of a strain, it is important to interrupt sporting activity and protect the affected muscle. If you ignore the strain and continue training - which some runners do with a strained calf, for example - the overloaded muscle fibers can tear. A ruptured muscle fiber takes much longer to heal than a simple strain.

Muscle strain: duration

A muscle strain generally heals without any problems. The muscle usually recovers within about four to six days, so that you can start again with light training.

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