You can strain any muscle in your body.
Strains occur when your muscle stretches beyond its normal range of motion or when you put more load on the muscle than it's strong enough to handle.
When this happens, the muscle fibers tear resulting in a pulled muscle.
Doctors grade strains — from first degree to third degree — based on how much muscle fiber you've torn.
In sports, it's possible to pull almost any muscle.
The most common sports strains affect the leg or groin muscles, such as the:
Common causes of muscle strains include:
The motions involved in high impact sports can put you at risk of strained muscles.
For example, a:
Warming up before physical activity is key to helping prevent muscle strains and other muscle injuries.
It's also helpful to work on muscle flexibility and strength.
To make an appointment or learn more about muscle strains, contact UPMC Sports Medicine at 1-855-93-SPORT (77678).
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Pain is the most common symptom of a muscle strain.
When you strain a muscle, you will feel pain at the point of injury. In most cases, you will have pain if you try to move the muscle its full range.
With more severe sports strains, you may:
If you have muscle pain and soreness, you should see a doctor.
During the exam to diagnose a sports strain, the doctor will:
He or she might request an MRI to see the extent of the tear to the muscle.
To make an appointment or learn more about muscle strain symptoms, contact UPMC Sports Medicine at 1-855-93-SPORT (77678).
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At UPMC Sports Medicine, our main goal of muscle strain treatment is to help you regain strength and flexibility so you can safely return to sports.
You can treat most minor sports strains at home with the R.I.C.E. method:
After you've rested for two or three days, you can begin stretching and limited movements.
Work on regaining flexibility in the muscle and then slowly add in strength exercises.
If you have pain, take it easy. You shouldn't be in pain with rehab workouts.
To make an appointment for sports strain treatment, contact UPMC Sports Medicine at 1-855-93-SPORT (77678).
The links below will open a new browser window.
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UPMC's HealthBeat Blog: |
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