Have I Torn a Muscle?
21 January 2013
We have all heard the term of tearing a muscle. The question is how do you know if you have?
You will usually experience a popping like sound when a tear occurs.
Depending on how badly the area tears, the pain can range from mild to excruciating.
The area will start to swell also in an act to protect itself.
The muscle itself will be weak due to this tear. With a full tear, the muscle itself will have zero strength so one particular movement may not work at all.
Later that day or the next day, you will find that bruising will appear due to the fact that fibres have been ripped.
This is one of the major signs I look out for regarding tears is that the area is bruised!
What to do next?
R.I.C.E (Rest, Ice, Compress & Elevate) the area to help prevent it getting worse and control swelling.
If the pain is extreme, consult your doctor because if the tear is a full tear, it may need surgery to rectify.
Minor tears will heal over time. Usually they need six weeks of rest to heal but if activity happens in this time to tear it again, it will take another six weeks to heal again!
If ever in doubt of your injury, consult your GP or health professional.
(Image courtesy of farconville at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)