A muscle mass strain (muscle pull or tear) is a typical injury, particularly among people who join sports.
The thigh has three sets of strong muscular tissues:
- The hamstring muscle mass in the back of the upper leg
- The quadriceps muscle mass in the front of the thigh
- The adductor muscles on the inside of the upper leg
The quadriceps and also hamstrings work together to correct (extend) as well as bend (flex) the leg. The adductor muscles pull the legs with each other.
The hamstring and quadriceps muscle teams are particularly in jeopardy for muscle mass strains because they go across both the hip and also knee joints. They are additionally used for high-speed activities, such as track and also field events (operating, hurdles, long jump), football, basketball, and soccer.
Muscle pressures usually happen when a muscle is extended past its limit, tearing the muscular tissue fibers. This injury regularly occurs near the factor where the muscle signs up with the hard, coarse connective tissue of the ligament. A straight impact to the muscular tissue might additionally trigger a comparable injury. Muscle mass pressures in the thigh can be fairly agonizing.
Once muscle stress happens, the muscular tissue is prone to re-injury. It is very important to allow the muscular tissue to heal effectively and to comply with precautionary guidelines from your medical professional.
Symptoms
- A person that experiences a muscle strain in the thigh will regularly define a standing out or snapping feeling as the muscle rips.
- Discomfort is abrupt as well as may be extreme.
- The area around the injury may be tender to the touch, with visible bruising if capillaries are additionally damaged.
- Swelling, as well as locations of ecchymosis (" black and blue"), might typically expand below the upper leg right into the calf and also the ankle. This may also occur 1 or 2 days after the injury.
Medical professional Assessment
Your doctor will certainly inquire about the injury and analyze your thigh for tenderness or wounding. You may be asked to bend or align your knee and/or hip so the medical professional can validate the medical diagnosis.
An X-ray might be required if there is a possible crack or various other injuries to the bone. Your physician may also get a magnetic vibration imaging (MRI) check to examine the muscles and also ligaments in your leg.
Muscle stress is rated according to its severity. A grade 1 stress is light and also normally heals conveniently, whereas a grade 3 strain is a serious tear of the muscular tissue that may take months to recover.
Treatment
Many muscle mass pressures can be treated with the RICE method. RICE represents:
Relax. Relax from the task that triggered the strain. Your doctor might advise that you make use of props to stay clear of placing weight on the leg.
Ice. Use ice bags for 20 minutes at once, several times a day. Do not use ice directly on the skin.
Compression. To avoid additional swelling, lightly wrap the hurt area in a soft plaster or ace cover.
Elevation. To lessen swelling, boost your boost above the level of your heart.
Your doctor might suggest a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicine, such as ibuprofen, for discomfort alleviation. As the discomfort and swelling subside, physical therapy will help boost a series of activities and also stamina.
The muscle mass should go to complete toughness, as well as pain-free before you, going back to sports. This will aid stop extra injury.
Prevention
Risk Aspects
Numerous factors can predispose you to muscle strains, including:
- Muscle tightness. Tight muscle mass is at risk of pressure. Athletes must adhere to a year-round program of daily stretching exercises.
- Muscle mass imbalance. Since the quadriceps and hamstring muscle mass collaborate, if one is stronger, the weaker muscle can end up being stretched.
- Poor conditioning. If your muscular tissues are weak, they are less able to cope with the stress of exercise and are more likely to be injured.
- Muscular tissue exhaustion. Tiredness reduces the energy-absorbing abilities of muscle mass, making them much more susceptible to injury.
Safety measures
You can take the following preventative measures to assist avoid muscle strain:
- Condition your muscles with a routine program of exercises. You can ask your physician about exercise programs for people of your age as well as activity level.
- Warm up before any exercise session or sports task, consisting of technique. A good heat-up prepares your body for much more intense activity. It obtains your blood moving, increases your muscle mass temperature level, as well as raises your breathing price. Heating up offers your body time to get used to the demands of exercise as well as can help boost a variety of movement and minimizes stiffness.
- Take time to cool after exercise. Stretch slowly and slowly, holding each stretch to provide the muscle time to react and lengthen. You can locate examples of extending exercises on this site or ask your medical professional or trainer for aid in creating a routine.
- If you are harmed, take the time needed to allow the muscle mass to heal before you return to sporting activities. Wait until your muscular tissue stamina and also flexibility return to preinjury levels. This can take 10 days to 3 weeks for mild pressure, and also up to 6 months for a severe strain, such as hamstring pressure.
