A strain pertains to an injury with a muscle.
This is different from a sprain which pertains to a ligament. It is important to understand the difference because they involve different structures and different healing times.
I go through the difference in my post sprains vs strains here, therefore I will not go through it again.
Causes of Muscle Strains
A muscle strain usually occurs when the muscle has been pulled too hard and some fibers can tear. This happens from overuse, improper warm ups, or doing too much too soon.
A muscle strain is the quicker injury to heal from because of the higher amount of blood flow to the muscles.
If a strain is severe enough or it is not healed properly, it can lead to a full thickness tear of the muscle.
Commonly strained muscles
- Quadriceps
- Hamstrings
- Back muscles
- Calf muscles
- Groin muscles
Just because these are the most common does not mean that it will not happen in other muscles. I have also seen it in the biceps, triceps, and forearm muscles. For more information on muscle strains check out this research article here.
Symptoms of Muscle Strains
- Pain with muscle contractions
- Swelling and bruising
- Tender to touch
- Weakness of the muscle
Most of the people I have treated for a strain, told me that they heard or felt a pop in the area. If the strain is in a muscle of the lower extremity, it is also usually difficult to walk and/or run.
When evaluating for a muscle strain, we use these symptoms as a guide. By palpating a muscle, we can pin point the area. By testing for strength and checking the amount of muscle contraction compared to the opposite side, we can then determine it is a strain.
Rehabilitation for Muscle Strains
The rehabilitation process is obviously different for each muscle that is injured. It is also different depending on the severity of the injury.
The process will begin with slow stretching and isometric strengthening of the injured site (check out my blog post here on the 3 I’s for what isometric means). Again, depending on the severity, a person can then progress strengthening with low weight and increase as pain and strength improve.
If the injured person is an athlete, we will begin “return to sport” activities once the pain has subsided. If the injured person is not an athlete, we will begin functional activities during the strengthening phase.
Because a strain pertains to an injury with a muscle, every Physical Therapist might rehabilitate the muscle in a different way. This is perfectly fine and this post will give you a general idea of what to expect.