What is a Strain Injury?

A strain is an injury to a muscle or a tendon, which are tissues connecting your bones and muscles. Strain injuries may vary in terms of severity and may cause a complete or partial tear to your tendon. Undue pressure can be put on muscles by daily activities, during sports, while performing work-related tasks or during sports.

Damage to the muscles can be in the form of tearing of the tendons or muscle fibres. Muscle tearing can also cause damage to small blood vessels, resulting in local bruising or bleeding and irritation of nerve endings causing pain.

Symptoms of muscle strain

Muscle strain symptoms include:

• Bruising, redness or swelling because of an injury
• Pain while resting
• Pain while using the particular muscle or a joint that uses the muscle
• A weakness of the tendons or muscle
• Being completely unable to use muscle.

When should you call your doctor?

You should call your doctor if there is a major muscle injury and you haven’t had any relief from home remedies for 24 hours. You may need to be examined on an emergency basis if the injury came with a popping sound, if you are unable to walk, or if there are open cuts or swelling, fever, and pain.

Tests

The doctor performs a physical exam after taking a medical history followed by lab tests and X-rays .The doctor will try to establish a location where the muscle is totally or partially torn. Depending on the severity of the tear, you may require surgery with a complicated recovery and long healing process.

Self-care treatment for strain injury

It is possible to manage the swelling and local bleeding in the muscle caused by torn blood vessels through the application of ice packs. The strained muscles should also be maintained in a stretched position. Upon the reduction of swelling, you may apply heat. Remember, applying heat early can increase pain and swelling. Heat or ice shouldn’t be applied to bare skin. Using a protective covering like a towel is advisable.

• The pain can be relieved by taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen. It may also help you move around better. It is important that you don’t take these medications if you have a history of gastrointestinal bleeding or have kidney disease or blood thinners .Consult with your doctor before taking any medication.
• Remove any restrictive clothing around the area of strain injury and then follow the given routine to help the affected muscle:
  • Prevent further injury to the strained muscle by protecting it.
  • Give the strained muscle some rest. Avoid painful activities and the activity that was the cause of the strain in the first place.
  • Use ice packs on the affected muscle area once every hour for 20 minutes while you are awake. This may help reduce inflammation.
  • Use an elastic bandage like an aid for gently applying compression. This not only decreases swelling but also provides support.
  • Swelling can also be reduced by elevating the injured area.
  • Until there is a significant improvement in pain, it is recommended to completely avoid activities that work the affected muscle or increase pain.

Medical treatment

Getting medical treatment is not much different from home treatment. However, the healthcare professional will be able to determine the extent of injury to the muscle and tendon. Accordingly, they might suggest a brace or crutches to aid healing. Your doctor will also recommend the activities you need to restrict and if you need to take days off work. Furthermore, they will tell you if you need physical therapy or rehabilitation exercises for helping with the recovery.

Mostly, proper treatment allows people to completely recover from muscle strain. Only a healthcare professional should handle complicated cases. After you have recovered from a strain injury, you would want to avoid the injury in the future. You can do so by stretching regularly and starting specific exercise programs.