Muscle injuries

Muscle injuries are one of the most common consequences of sports accidents, incorrect movements, or awkward actions at work. Usually these are not severe and require a few days of rest. In a few exceptional situations, however, medical interventions are necessary. In principle, muscle injuries are curable - the chances of success are always very high.

What are muscle injuries?

At Muscle injuries it is cracks or other damage to the muscles. These can therefore lie in a tear of entire bundles or individual fibers. Muscle injuries are therefore usually noticeable or even painful.

Usually they are accompanied by a slight pull. If entire muscle bundles are torn, the muscle injuries would be associated with considerable pain. Usually only one operation can restore the full functionality of the musculoskeletal system.

Smaller muscle injuries, on the other hand, can be remedied with soothing ointments, baths, massages and heat therapies. If the symptoms persist for several days, a doctor should be consulted as a precaution. He can determine whether it is actually a question of muscle injuries or even the bones and organs may have been damaged.

causes

Muscle injuries usually occur where the body is not yet sufficiently warmed up during sporting activities. Likewise, when lifting heavy loads, so-called incorrect movements can repeatedly lead to tilting or overstretching and thus to muscle injuries.

It is not uncommon for the person affected to not even notice slight damage to the muscles - however, when running in the woods or at a football game, this intensifies and can be accompanied by painful consequences. Muscle injuries usually occur where a lot of movements are required.

In a few situations, slipping on ice-smooth paths or a misstep on the stairs also causes such muscle injuries. Thus, every person is hit by muscle injuries several times in their life.

Symptoms, ailments & signs

Muscle injuries are sometimes associated with varying degrees of pain. As a rule, you can still feel a pull. In addition, the musculoskeletal system is restricted. However, muscle injuries can also occur that are not noticed by the person concerned. Muscle injuries often occur during sporting activities.

Muscle strain, a minor type of muscle injury, causes unnatural muscle stretching. The muscle tension is disturbed, the muscle hardens and pain sets in. This reflexive tensing should avoid serious consequences. Symptoms may resolve after a short recovery. A ruptured muscle fiber causes sudden pain as nerve-carrying muscle fibers tear.

The pain is sharp, similar to an injury from a knife. A load or movement is hardly possible. The restriction of blood flow causes an inflammatory reaction in this area. Massive, prolonged muscle hardening occurs. The pain expresses itself spasmodically. A visible bruise often forms when a muscle bundle ruptures because the vascular injuries are more intense.

This is due to the damage, the tearing of the connective tissue muscle covering. A torn muscle fiber or a muscle bundle must be precisely located. They can be precisely felt. In addition, the pain sensation can only be felt selectively on the muscle injury. In the event of complications and in severe cases, pain at rest can lead to significant sleep disorders over a longer period of time.

Diagnosis & course

A variety of Muscle injuries the person concerned does not feel it at all because it occurs without pain. Only the slightest pull in the thigh or restrictions in mobility are noticed.

Such muscle injuries can actually occur every day and are usually forgotten after a day or two. On the other hand, stronger muscle injuries can appear during sport, which are not only noticeable but also require intervention. Most of the time, the affected person will help himself with warming ointments.

If that is not enough, the specialist should be consulted. In particular, those muscle injuries that are accompanied by complete or partial tears in the muscle bundles and damage to cartilage and tendons often have to be treated. In some cases, muscle injuries also require surgery.

Complications

Muscle injuries can lead to various complaints and complications. The further course of this disease depends very much on the injury itself and its severity. As a rule, those affected by muscle injuries suffer primarily from severe pain and thus from restrictions in everyday life.

It is not uncommon for this to result in restricted mobility and a reduced quality of life. The patients can also be dependent on the help of other people and suffer from reduced resilience. Complications usually arise in muscle injuries if the muscles continue to be stressed after the injury.

This can lead to various consequential damages such as swelling or painful cramps. Pain from the muscles can also spread to other regions of the body and cause discomfort there. Pain at rest often leads to sleep disorders.

Treatment of the muscle injuries usually does not lead to further complications. The exact type of treatment depends heavily on the injury. In most cases, however, the course of the disease is always positive.

When should you go to the doctor?

Muscle injuries should always be clarified by a doctor as soon as they increase in intensity, occur suddenly or are persistent. If they occur after a serious fall or accident, a visit to a doctor is advisable so that the extent of the total damage can be determined. In the case of minor injuries, sufficient rest is often sufficient to regenerate the symptoms.

After intense sport or physical exertion, the muscles become overstrained, which has no serious consequences. With a supply of heat, relief and often recovery can be achieved. Medical care is not necessary in these cases.

A doctor should be consulted if the musculoskeletal system is restricted, posture is incorrect or if there is pain. If there is pain at rest or hypersensitivity to touch stimuli, the body needs help with healing.

If the general physical resilience drops, if there is an inner weakness or if sporting and everyday activities can no longer be carried out as usual, a doctor is required. If new bruises develop some time after the muscle injury, there are impairments that should be examined and treated. Pain at rest, sleep disorders and stiffening of the joints are unusual. If cramps occur, turning movements can no longer be performed or the gripping function fails, a visit to the doctor is advisable.

Treatment & Therapy

For the precise treatment of the Muscle injuries It is always necessary to know what stage the suffering is in. If an athlete has strained his muscles a little by not warming up enough before a soccer game or jogging run, a few days of rest and a supportive cream will usually be sufficient to relieve the pulling in the affected part of the body.

Muscle injuries that are associated with considerable pain or that have not healed after a few days should be left to a medical evaluation. A few sessions are often enough to achieve success with massages, electrical and heat therapy.

If muscle injuries with tears in the fibers or even the bundles are detected, the following must be weighed up: If the patient is prevented from performing his job for a long time without the affected part of the body, an operation is usually performed as quickly as possible in order to be able to better remedy the consequences of the muscle injuries.

Such a measure is also accompanied by rehabilitative sports lessons, in which mobility is promoted and the muscle is supported. However, the orthopedic surgeon should decide what to do with individual muscle injuries.

Outlook & forecast

In the case of muscle injuries, the prognosis is based on the type and intensity of the injury. A pulled muscle heals within four to six days. You can then start training again. Medical treatment and rest is a prerequisite for a quick recovery. If you continue to train despite a strain, the muscle fiber may tear. There are usually no major complications with a torn muscle, but recovery time is significantly longer. The injury heals within two to six weeks without any further discomfort.

If you start exercising too early, another injury can occur. In the worst case, the muscle will be permanently damaged. Depending on the severity of the muscle injury, there may be permanent restrictions in the muscle's ability to move. This sometimes leads to psychological complaints. Athletes in particular are stressed by a muscle injury, especially if the symptoms persist over a longer period of time.

Early treatment improves the outlook. Muscle injuries do not normally limit life expectancy. However, serious injuries can lead to circulatory disorders, nerve damage and other complications that reduce the quality of life.

prevention

Basically, you can Muscle injuries Avoid by exercising a lot and warming up sufficiently before exercise. In addition, an activity should never be started at high speed. Rather, the body must slowly get used to the challenges and be allowed to warm up at the same time. However, muscle injuries can never be completely avoided.

Aftercare

The good prospects of recovery mean that those affected are fully operational again after a muscle injury. There is therefore no reason for regular follow-up examinations after recovery. Sports activities should, however, be taken up slowly. The more extensive the therapy, the longer the introductory training should take.

The attending physician provides relevant information as part of the initial therapy. Implementation is the responsibility of the patient. Follow-up care also aims to prevent the disease from recurring. In the case of tumors and other ailments, this is done by means of a close medical follow-up.

However, this procedure is not possible in the case of muscle injuries. Because the causes lie in overloads and violence. They occur within a few seconds and are beyond medical predictability. Rather, patients can prevent new muscle injuries in their everyday lives.

The start of sporting activities should only be increased slowly after a long vacancy. In addition, a warm-up phase is essential for adequate muscle blood flow. Preventive measures also include wearing suitable protective equipment if there is a risk of injury, as is the case with rugby and other physical sports. Sports physicians impart appropriate knowledge in the context of initial therapy.

You can do that yourself

Muscle injuries always require medical treatment. In the case of acute symptoms, physical activity should first be stopped. Otherwise it can lead to a strain or even a torn muscle fiber. Then the muscle must be cooled with ice and stored upwards. Sports ointment can be applied to closed injuries. A pressure bandage regulates blood flow and prevents the injury from worsening. Herbal preparations that have an analgesic and decongestant effect are particularly suitable.

After the medical examination and treatment of the injury, rest and rest. The affected muscle should not be strained for at least two to three days so as not to endanger the healing process. Herbal remedies such as bromelain and papain also help during recovery. In consultation with your family doctor or a sports doctor, you can slowly start exercising again after a few days. It is advisable to loosen the muscle well at the beginning. However, massages should be avoided for the time being, as kneading and stretching can disrupt the healing process.

In the case of major muscle injuries, a sport break of three to six weeks should be taken. In addition, the injury must be checked regularly by a doctor.