ABC Medical Center > Diseases > Muscle Tear (Strain)

What is muscle tear (strain)?

30 December 2025

When the muscle fibers of different body areas are overstretched or torn due to a sudden contraction or stretch, we are talking about a muscle tear (strain). This causes intense localized pain, inflammation, structural deformity, and problems moving the affected area.

Muscle tears are frequent in amateur and high-performance athletes or people who exercise regularly.

Causes and Classification

Some of the reasons a muscle can tear are:

  • Dehydration.
  • Malnutrition.
  • Fatigue.
  • Lack of muscle warm-up.
  • Blows, excessive tension, or overstretching of the muscle.
  • Excessive training.

Muscle tears are classified according to their length and the type of structures affected:

  • First Degree: Occurs when some muscle fibers may have been overstretched or even slightly torn.
  • Second Degree: This is the most common and happens when there is a greater rupture of muscle fibers.
  • Third Degree: Occurs when all or almost all muscle tissues have separated or ruptured.

Signs and symptoms Muscle Tear (Strain)

  • Obvious deformity.
  • Pain.
  • Bruising.
  • Limitation of movement.
  • Inflammatory process (swelling).

Diagnosis and treatment Muscle Tear (Strain)

Once the doctor analyzes your symptoms and clinical history, they will perform a physical examination and request an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) to confirm that it is a muscle tear and not a muscle contracture.

Treatment will be established based on the severity of the trauma, with the most recommended being:

  • Rest.
  • Immobilization of the affected area.
  • Intake of analgesics (painkillers), anti-inflammatories, and muscle relaxants.
  • Physical therapy to help repair the muscle and regain movement.

The recovery period, depending on the type of tear, ranges from 15 days to three months.

How to Prevent Muscle Tears

  • Healthy diet.
  • Adequate hydration.
  • Perform warm-up exercises before exercising or practicing any sport.
  • Measured (moderate) training.

At the Orthopedics and Traumatology Center, we seek to improve the lives of patients restricted or immobilized by musculoskeletal disorders or injuries. We specialize in the care of the musculoskeletal system by integrating the latest medical, biological, and technological advances, in strict adherence to the highest international standards of patient care.

Related centers and departments Muscle Tear (Strain)

Orthopedics and Traumatology Center
High Specialty Surgery Center
Radiology and Molecular Imaging
Clinical Laboratory

Fuentes:

  • orthoinfo.aaos.org
  • mayoclinic.org
  • intramed.com
  • medlineplus.gov
  • msdmanuals.com
  • topdoctors.es
  • medigraphic.com
  • Soto PJ, Salazar LRLV. Clasificación ecográfica de los desgarros musculares. Anales de Radiología México. 2008;7(2):121-128.
  • Rangel GF. La traumatología deportiva ante COVID-19. Ortho-tips. 2020;16(2):62-65. doi:10.35366/94534.
  • Domínguez CLG, Álvarez RM, Chamberlin VO, et al. Resonancia magnética en dolor inguinal por lesiones musculares. Acta Med. 2018;16(4):343-348.
  • Vila GJM, Anillo BR, Villanueva CE. Diagnóstico ecográfico de las rupturas musculares traumáticas en deportistas de alto rendimiento. Invest Medicoquir. 2012;4(1):31-43.

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    The dissemination of the content of this material is for informational purposes only and does not replace, under any circumstance or condition, a consultation with a specialist doctor, for which the ABC Medical Center is not responsible for the different use that may be given to it. If you require more information related to the subject, we suggest you contact the specialist doctor you trust directly.