A strain is a painful injury that occurs during sport or after an impact. This is an incomplete tear of muscle fibers, often of the thigh or calf muscle.
Brutal and painful, a strain is an injury that occurs during sport or after an impact. This is’an incomplete muscle tear muscle fibers, frequently from the thigh or calf muscle. What are typical symptoms a breakdown? How much healing time ? How to treat and speed up the healing of a strain?
What is a breakdown?
The breakdown corresponds to incomplete rupture of muscle fibers which make up the muscle. It generally occurs at the start of a run, during a sudden change of direction or after an impact. The muscles most affected are those of the thighs or calves. Officially, there is 5 stages of muscle damage which are, from least serious to most serious:
- The aches: Typically, this is the common muscle injury after sports. The damage to muscle fibers is reversible and everything returns to normal fairly quickly.
- The contracture: the lesion is a little more severe because the muscle fiber is affected and irreversible. As it is a small damage, there is not necessarily a need for special treatment.
- Elongation: the connective tissue (supporting tissue) is affected and the lesion is more severe. A small amount of muscle fibers are affected.
- The breakdown: This is called an incomplete tear. The connective tissue (supporting tissue) is affected and the lesion is more severe. A slightly greater quantity of fiber is achieved.
- The tearing : it corresponds to a partial or total rupture of the muscle.
“In everyday language, patients often use one word for the other and this is not a big deal. It is mainly on ultrasound (more rarely on MRI) that we will see the degree of the damage and make the precise diagnosis.“, would like to point out Dr Sophie Bur, sports doctor and doctor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
What are the symptoms of a breakdown?
The pain usually appears during exercise and requires stopping the effort. She is brutal and sometimes the patient can even hear “the snap of the muscle that lets go“. It is more permanent and is generally accompanied by a hematoma which may be visible if it is present on a superficial muscle (calf, thigh, etc.).
What are the causes of a breakdown?
The strain generally occurs during sporting effort or following a direct impact on a contracted muscle. Trigger factors often include insufficient warming up or stretching or muscle fatigue. “The question of stretching is widely discussed. Some doctors say that we are finally stretching a muscle that is already “damaged” by the effort, which can increase the risk of injury and cause a tear. Other doctors continue to advise stretching after sports. To date, there is no real consensus. It is therefore difficult to give an official recommendation. For example, you can do small stretches before and after the session without forcing too much.“, recommends the expert.
How long does it take to heal for a strain?
The healing time depends on each patient, but overall it takes approximately 1 month and a half.
Should we use hot or cold?
“In the first days, it is advisable to use cold to limit the hematoma.replies our interlocutor.
What is the treatment for a breakdown?
To recover from a breakdown, you need a relative rest (complete immobilization is not recommended) and do not make efforts that cause pain. “It is the patient who must listen to himself and judge what he can do or not“, underlines Sophie Bur. We can put a slightly tight bandage around the muscle damaged to compress the bleeding. If the strain involves the leg, the patient may elevate the leg when lying down to promote venous return. “To relieve pain, you can take level I and II analgesics such as Doliprane, Codeine or Tramadol depending on the intensity of the pain and carefully respecting the conditions of use and dosage. In this type of lesion, anti-inflammatories are not indicatedat least initially (first 48-72 hours), as they promote bleeding and can delay the repair process“, she continues. When the most painful period is over, we move on to rehabilitation which consists of strengthening and stretching the muscle, or doing “defibrosing” massages to remove fibrosis and adhesions from the muscle. In rare cases, we can operate, particularly among high-level athletes. In all cases, it is advisable to rest your muscles and not do sports 7 days a week or at least, vary the sports so as not to always use the same muscles, to hydrate well and return to sport gradually.
Thanks to Dr Sophie Bur, sports doctor and doctor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Pôle de MPR IURC Strasbourg