ABC Medical Center > Diseases > Muscle strain

What is muscle strain?

2 July 2021

This injury consists of the rupture of muscle fibers in various parts of the body and frequently appears among athletes, whether amateurs or professionals, although it can also occur in people who exercise from time to time. 

The tear is presented by blows, tensions, or distensions of the muscular mass, affecting the structure and continuity of its tissues. It is produced by contusion or distension mechanisms.

It is classified according to its length and the type of structures affected, being fibrillar, when there is damage to the muscle fiber, or myofascial, when the fascia is affected. 

Signs and symptoms Muscle strain

  • Mild to severe inflammation.
  • Bruising.
  • Moderate to severe pain.
  • Impossibility of movement in the affected area.
  • Visible physical changes.

To avoid this type of injury, it is necessary to have a healthy diet and drink plenty of fluids, in addition to maintaining an adequate physical and muscular condition, always performing an efficient warm-up before practicing sports and avoiding excessive training.

Diagnosis and treatment Muscle strain

Sometimes the tear can be confused with a contracture, but it is possible to determine it through an MRI, together with the level of muscle injury. 

The treatment begins with rest and immobilization, depending on the severity, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, and pain killers, to later begin with physiotherapy for muscle repair and movement recovery.

Generally, athletes can return to their normal activities in 12-15 days, in the case of a minor tear, while in the case of a serious one the recovery can take two months or more. 

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 locomotor system by integrating the latest medical, biological, and technological advances, in strict adherence to the highest international standards of patient care.

We put our skills and knowledge at your service to provide you and your loved ones with cutting-edge treatments and highly specialized medical care in the following procedures:

  • Arthroscopic surgery.
  • Partial and total joint replacement surgery (prostheses).
  • Trauma surgery.
  • Hand surgery. 
  • Foot and ankle surgery.
  • Spinal surgery.

We treat injuries such as:

  • Dislocation.
  • Chronic bone and joint diseases.
  • Ligaments.
  • Spinal diseases.
  • Joint replacements.

Related centers and departments Muscle strain

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

Fuentes:

  • arthritisfoundation.org
  • mayoclinic.org
  • msdmanuals.com
  • medlineplus.gov
  • medigraphic.com
  • Díaz de León ME, Redondo AG, Bueno OME, et al. Factores asociados con la severidad de la lesión deportiva. Rev Med Inst Mex Seguro Soc. 2007;45(1):47-52.
  • Cano MI, Ávila AA. Evaluación con ultrasonido de lesiones de tejidos blandos y musculoesqueléticas. Anales de Radiología México. 2010;9(4):174-184.
  • 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.
  • Soto PJ, Salazar LRLV. Clasificación ecográfica de los desgarros musculares. Anales de Radiología México. 2008;7(2):121-128.

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