Muscle Strain – What it is, Symptoms and Treatment
What is Muscle Strain?Muscle strain is an injury caused by overstretching the fibers of a muscle . The fibers , stretched beyond their normal limit, rupture and cause distension. As such, it is a particularly common injury among athletes, who eventually strain their muscles over the limit or incorrectly.
The most common cause of muscle strain is athlete behavior. Fatigue as well as excess body weight are among the factors that greatly increase the risk of strain. It is the improper use of muscle , however, that causes most strains.
Simple efforts in many sports need to be practiced in their correct positions, as directed by a physical education professional. More than that, however, it is necessary to prepare properly for physical activity, with conditioning, warm-up and stretching.
Symptoms of muscle strain: The main symptom is severe pain located near a joint that arises after a blow or run. In addition, the person may experience difficulty walking when the leg is affected, or difficulty moving the arm when the arm is affected. Thus, the characteristic signs of Muscle Strain are:
- Severe pain located near a joint ;
- Muscle weakness;
- Difficulty moving the region affects, being difficult to stay in the race or game, for example;
- It can generate a large purple mark, characteristic of blood extravasation;
- The area tends to be swollen and may feel a little warmer than usual.
How to Treat Muscle Distension: Once the distension occurs, the person should suspend the physical activity they had been practicing and immediately place a cold compress in the region, to relieve the pain. In addition, you should keep the affected limb at rest, keep it suspended and use analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs that must be taken under medical supervision, and the use of cold or ice packs is also indicated.
Broken fibers tend to regenerate spontaneously. Physiotherapy should be started as soon as possible to ensure the quickest possible return to daily activities.
How to avoid: Stretching the muscle beyond the pre-established body limit, or forcing a muscle too much, can easily generate a strain and cause the muscle to tear . Thus, to prevent a muscle strain , you must keep the muscle properly strengthened and stretched constantly, respecting your body limitations and avoiding training alone, without professional guidance.
However, even high competition athletes can suffer muscle strains and strains during their sports practice, but in any case, the objective of training is to prevent this from happening.