Muscle strain, how to react?

Muscle strain is an injury that can occur frequently during sports activities or demanding daily tasks. It happens when a muscle undergoes a rapid, forceful movement while it is in a stretched position. This leads to an overstretching of the muscle fibers beyond their limits, resulting in a strain. The muscles most commonly affected are the hamstrings, quadriceps, and gastrocnemius (calf muscles).

The severity of a muscle strain can be classified into three grades, with grade 1 being the mildest.

Grade 1 is described as a stretching of the muscle fibers without causing any tears. Mild swelling may be observed at the site of the strain, along with pain during muscle stretching and contraction.

Grade 2 is described as a strain that caused a partial tear in the muscle fibers. This results in more significant swelling and bruising appearing 2 to 3 days after the injury. The pain is more intense, and walking may be slightly more limited compared to grade 1.

Grade 3 is described as a strain that caused a complete tear of the muscle fibers. The symptoms are much more intense and limiting. The pain can be severe, even at rest, and limping while walking becomes very apparent.

If you suspect you have a muscle strain, regardless of its severity, the first action to take is to stop the activity you were doing to avoid further injury. Following that, applying ice is the best way to relieve pain for the first 3 to 5 days after the incident. Avoid stretching and massaging the painful area of the injured muscle. By promptly consulting your physiotherapist, they can determine the grade of your injury and design an appropriate exercise program to start once the initial inflammatory phase has resolved.