Muscle Strain- What is it and how does it occur? 

Dr.Bharat Bahre, 4 mins read

What is Muscle Strain? 

A muscle strain is an injury to a muscle or a tendon, which is the fibrous tissue that connects the muscles to the bones. Minor injuries may only cause a muscle or tendon to overstretch, whereas more severe injuries may cause partial or complete tears in these tissues. 

It can affect any muscle in the body, but it is most common in the back of the thigh muscles, lower back muscle, calf muscle, neck, shoulders, and hamstrings. 

Muscle strain is a common ailment. It can affect anyone at any age. Its risk factors should be managed. For more information, please consult with your doctor. 

Muscle Strain Symptoms: 

Depending on the severity of the injury, signs, and symptoms may vary. Some of the common symptoms include: 

• Trouble doing physical activity
• Swelling
• Muscle Spasm
• Muscle weakness
• Pain
• Redness or bruising

You may feel your muscle stiffen if there is a slight pull in the muscle. If the problem is severe, the muscle can burst, causing excruciating pain.  

When to see a doctor? 

If any of the following issues occur, you should see a doctor: 

• Excessive Swelling due to muscle strain
• Bleeding from injured muscle
• Feeling sluggish or having trouble moving the injured muscle
• Severe muscle pain that prevents you from performing daily tasks
• The affected muscle's swelling is getting worse over time.

Causes of Muscle strain: 

Muscle strain is caused by any type of muscle injury. This type of muscle injury can occur at any time. Some of the possible reasons are listed below: 

• Lifting heavyweight
• Jumping from Height
• Running too fast
• Throwing balls or related activities
• Standing in the incorrect posture
• Slip or fall
• Not wearing protective clothing and equipment while playing any sport

Muscle strain is a more common problem in cold weather. Muscles remain stable at low temperatures. If you have a muscle problem, stay in a mildly warm environment. 

Chronic muscle strain can be caused by a variety of factors, including: 

• Taking part in sports such as rowing, tennis, golf, and baseball
• Long periods of holding your back or neck in an awkward position, such as working at a computer while sitting in front of a desk
• Sitting in a bad position for a long time

Muscle strain Diagnosis: 

Your doctor will examine you for swelling and tender spots during the physical assessment. The extent and nature of the damage can be determined by the location and intensity of your pain. 

Your doctor may be able to see or feel a defect in the area of injury in more severe injuries where the muscle or tendon has been completely ruptured. Ultrasound is frequently used to help distinguish between various types of soft tissue injuries. The doctor may advise X-ray and MRI if required.  

Muscle Strain Treatment: 

• You should apply the R.I.C.E method for immediate self-care of a muscle strain at home: RICE method is explained below:
• R- Stands for rest – Avoid doing activities that require you to use your muscles for a few days. Resting too much, on the other hand, can cause muscle weakness. Do some physical activity now and then.
• I – Stands for ice - Apply ice to the injured area as soon as possible. It relieves both inflammation and pain. However, do not apply ice directly to the skin. Wrap ice in a cotton cloth first, and then apply it to the injured area. After that, apply ice cubes to the injured area for 20 minutes. You can repeat this process after 1 to 2 hours.
• C- Stands for compression - Wrap an elastic bandage around the affected area to reduce swelling. 
• E – Stands for elevation - Elevate the injured area above the level of your heart, especially at night, to allow gravity to aid in swelling reduction.

• Medication – Over-the-counter pain relievers may be useful in managing the pain. These could include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that help to reduce pain, inflammation, and swelling. You may also be advised of some pain-relieving cream.
• Physiotherapy - Some muscle strain injuries may require physical therapy rehabilitation to aid in tissue healing as well as the retention and strengthening of muscles and tendons.
• Surgery - If your symptoms or pain do not improve after treating the injury at home, you may need to see a doctor for a more severe muscle strain. Splinting or immobilization (putting the limb in a cast) of the joint or extremity may be required to allow the injury to heal. Surgery may be required for some severe muscle strains.

 ALSO READ: What is a sprain? Learn about its causes, symptoms, and treatments.