Muscle injuries: the differences between contracture, strain, muscle tear

By Cristiano Antonino Last updated Nov 23, 2022

What are muscle injuries? Muscle injuries are frequent and occur during all sports activities

Muscle injuries are divided into:

contracture
stretching;
tear (1st, 2nd and 3rd degree).

What is a muscle contracture

A contracture is one of the most frequent injuries and consists of a contraction of the muscle beyond the possibilities of the fibre itself.

Such a contracture produces pain and stiffness of the fibre, limitation in walking and vivid pain in muscle contraction movements.

Contracture, however, is the least serious of all injuries as it does not cause a fibre rupture.

What to do in case of muscle contractures

In the case of a contracture, rest is the most effective therapy.

A week’s rest is usually needed to recover from a contracture.

To speed up recovery, we can combine rest with decontracting massages, carried out by physiotherapists, and all those activities that stretch the muscles.

What is muscle strain

This injury causes a sharp and sudden, though often bearable, pain.

It is a type of injury easily encountered in sports.

What to do in the event of a pulled muscle

The strain heals within 2-3 weeks of rest; it is useful to apply ice packs for the first few days and compression bandages.

If necessary, the doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory therapy and an ultrasound scan may be useful.

What is a muscle tear

A tear causes a rupture of muscle fibres, which is very painful and can be more or less serious depending on how many fibres are involved.

Tearing can affect any muscle in the body, but usually leg and arm muscles are more prone to tearing.

More rarely the muscles of the abdomen and back are ‘torn’.

The injury is caused by excessive strain on the muscle fibres, due to sudden jerks or contractions.

Tears can be of 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree depending on the number of fibres involved

In the 1st degree injury only a few muscle fibres are damaged, the discomfort is mild and movements are almost completely pain-free.

The grade II injury is characterised by a greater number of injured muscle fibres: pain appears every time one tries to contract the muscle.

The most serious is the grade III injury, which causes a real tear in the muscle and is accompanied by very intense pain.

What to do in case of a muscle tear

If you have suffered a tear in the first place, you must immediately stop the activity you are doing, whether it be sport or work.

It is best to consult the orthopaedist immediately to assess the extent of the problem.

If the injury is minor, complete rest for a couple of weeks is needed, combined with cold compresses that exert a powerful action on the blood circulation, reducing the flow of blood to the injured vessels.

In addition, prescription painkillers and muscle relaxants should be used.

Investigations should be completed with an ultrasound scan and a possible MRI.

More serious cases require longer recovery times and physiotherapy sessions, such as tecar therapy, laser therapy.

How to prevent muscle injuries

Before physical exertion, a good general warm-up, and if necessary a more specific warm-up, and stretching provide elasticity to muscles and tendons and play a key role in preventing muscle injuries.

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