If the muscle suddenly and abruptly hurts during sport, it may be due to a torn muscle fiber . However, this unpleasant injury does not necessarily have to occur during sport.
Find out here how such a muscle fiber tear occurs, how to distinguish a muscle fiber tear from other muscle injuries and when you will be ready for your next sports session. You can also find selected doctors for the treatment of a torn muscle fiber.
There are over 600 individual muscles in the human musculature . The muscle consists of individual muscle fibers, which in turn are made up of myofibrils and are present in parallel. These muscle fibers are combined into several muscle fiber bundles, which ultimately form the muscle. The bundles also have a connective tissue-like muscle fascia that envelops them. The video shows the structure of a muscle:
If the muscle is injured due to overuse or another cause, the entire muscle fiber bundle tears. The injury causes bleeding, which flows into the muscle and causes it to swell. In some cases, however, only individual muscle fibers tear, but this is also painful.
Alongside muscle soreness, a pulled muscle is one of the milder muscle injuries. The muscle cells of the muscle remain intact, the muscle tissue is merely severely overstretched.
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Structure of a muscle bundle made of muscle fibers.
In a muscle fiber tear , individual or several muscle fibers tear, resulting in what is known as "structural muscle damage".
There is also the muscle bundle tear, which is more serious and painful. In this case, the entire muscle bundle tears.
If the muscle tears (muscle rupture), the entire muscle is severed. This means that muscle strength is completely lost and severe bleeding occurs.
A torn muscle fiber is primarily a sports injury and occurs in particular when there is a sudden change of direction or when you put a lot of strain on the muscles. Structural muscle fiber/bundle tears are often preceded by muscle stretching. This is why it is so important to take a break from sport after painful overstretching of the muscles. Muscle fiber tears can also occur without a prior warning signal. This occurs in many people during a sprint, for example.
Another cause of a torn muscle fiber is incorrect behavior during training, for example
Torn muscle fibers don't have to be a problem - suitable shoes and warming up before sport make sense. Dmytro Panchenko
Other factors can influence whether you suffer a torn muscle fiber, including
Inflammation of other organs can lead to muscle inflammation if you do not treat them for a long time. For example, pathogens from the sinuses or tonsils enter the muscles via the blood. There they cause muscle inflammation. This in turn is a risk factor for a torn muscle fiber.
Injuries often occur in larger muscle groups. For example, the muscle fibers in the calves and thighs tear particularly often, as they have to withstand great strain. This can affect both the back and front of the thigh.
Torn muscle fibers in the back, upper arm, shoulder or abdomen are also less common. This is particularly the case if you have not trained these areas of your body well and you suddenly put a lot of strain on them.
A well-known example of this is when people spontaneously lift very heavy objects. You may be more likely to suffer such muscle injuries when you are moving house or renovating.
A torn muscle fiber is diagnosed by a medical examination. The doctor will also include the existing symptoms and, if possible, the course of the accident in the diagnosis.
These signs indicate a torn muscle fiber:
In addition, the doctor examines the affected area for a noticeable dent in the course of the muscle. Later, bruising (hematoma) also occurs. They can be felt as swelling in the muscle and indicate structural muscle damage.
The doctor distinguishes between different degrees of severity of the injury. To do this, he carries out a movement and stretching test. This indicates the exact extent of the sports injury.
© JPC-PRO / Fotolia
If a more detailed examination is necessary, your doctor will use ultrasound (sonography), which allows him or her to draw conclusions about the necessary healing time.
In rare cases, an X-ray examination is also carried out. This is carried out if the doctor suspects additional injuries to the bones.
An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is also rarely ordered. Doctors tend to use this for professional athletes in order to make even more precise statements about the healing process and its duration.
Initial treatment according to the PECH scheme is important to shorten the healing time. This scheme is recommended for several sports injuries. The letters stand for:
The cold, together with pressure, ensures that the bruise is reduced. Cooling pressure bandages are ideal for this. However, do not apply ice directly to the skin for long periods as this can lead to frostbite. If you have a painful torn muscle fiber in your leg, it is best to use a crutch for a short time and consult a doctor.
Pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory medication is also part of comprehensive treatment. Ibuprofen and diclofenac, which you can also apply as a cooling and pain-relieving ointment if necessary, have proven to be effective.
Lymphatic drainage, cold applications and muscle relaxation exercises can also help. You can learn the latter from a physiotherapist or sports physician, for example.
Torn muscle fibers can be prevented if a few points are observed. The most important thing is to only do sport if your state of health allows it. If you are fit enough to exercise, a thorough warm-up beforehand is essential. This prepares the muscles so that they are well supplied with blood, supple and ready for active movements.
If deficiencies in vitamins and minerals are recognized and corrected, this is also good for the muscles.
Suitable sports shoes are very important for healthy training.
Are you suffering from a torn muscle fiber? Then you will certainly want to know when you can use the injured muscle again.
Basically, the more extensive the muscle damage, the longer it will take to heal.
Rapid initial treatment immediately after the injury is very important: it reduces the duration of the healing process. Measures such as cold and immobilization prevent too much blood from leaking from the injured vessels into the muscles. This leads to scarring in the muscle, which makes healing more difficult.
It takes around three to six weeks before you can return to sport after a torn muscle fiber. In severe cases, the healing process can take up to 16 weeks. It is important that you only really put weight on the muscles when you no longer feel any pain. Starting too early often means that the muscle fibers tear again. This unnecessarily prolongs the healing time.
Allow yourself the rest that your muscle needs. Follow the information on therapeutic measures and prevention. This way, you will be less likely to suffer such an injury in the future, even when doing ambitious sport.
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