Muscle injuries

You may have heard of the term muscle ‘strain’, however recent evidence suggests that ‘tear’ is a more appropriate term used to describe grade 1-4 injuries.

The British Athletics muscle injury classification is a 5-point MRI-based system based on extent and site of the injury. To read more about this, click here

Muscle injuries or tears occur after the force going through a muscle is too much for it to handle and tears occur in the muscle belly. The degree of injury can be defined as seen in the table below.

When are they likely to occur?

You are more likely to suffer from a muscle injury if:

• You do not warm up sufficiently before activity
• Your muscles are tired, whether that be from an overload in activity over the week, or during the specific activity that you are performing
• You are performing a new activity that your muscles are not used to
• Following a rapid change in speed/force exerted through a muscle e.g suddenly stopping when running.

You are also more at risk of a muscle tear if you have suffered from a previous muscle injury to that part of your body. This is why rehab is important to reduce the chances of reoccurrence.

Symptoms of a muscle tear

• Pain
• Tender to touch
• Sometimes swelling and bruising (bruising after muscle injury doesn’t usually appear straight away
• Weakness
• Sensation of tightness.
• Reduced range of motion

What are the different grades of muscle injury?

Grade 0:

For new or more intense exercise our muscles can often become sore within 24 to 48 hours after exercise, otherwise knows as delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS). However soreness is not vital for an adequate recovery routine. Muscle soreness can occur when cellular waste products accumulate in muscle cells leading to inflammation or by micro-tears that occur in the muscle fibers.

Grade 1:

Only a limited number of fibers in the muscle are affected. There is no decrease in strength and there remains full range of motion. Pain and tenderness are often delayed to the next day.

Grade 2:

Moderate tears to the muscle. Usually leads to stopping the activity due to the pain that has presented. Associated weakness and reduced range of motion.

Grade 3:

Extensive tears to the muscle. There will be a sudden onset of pain and the athlete may fall to the ground if performing sports. There is usually a significant loss in range of motion and obvious weakness.

Grade 4:

The complete rupture of the muscle. This means either the tendon is separated from the muscle belly or the muscle belly is actually torn in 2 parts. Severe swelling and pain and a complete loss of function are characteristic of this type of strain.

What to do about it?

• Being assessed can help to grade what level of injury you have suffered. This can determine rehab times and when it is safe to go back to activity
• A graded strengthening programme is usually appropriate, tailored to the individual and level of injury
• A graded re-introduction to sporting activity is also recommended, timescales vary from person to person.

Following PEACE & LOVE as shown below is a good guide to recovery.