A strain is one of those medical terms that is most commonly associated with injuries, even more so at our Joint & Sports Clinic in Surat. It is often used interchangeably with every injury type which is far from the truth, so in this article here we have decided to clear everything about the ‘Strain injuries’, its types, causes and treatment options. Read on:
What is a Strain Injury?
Bones and muscles form the fundamental structure of our skeletal system and they work together for every movement of our body. But muscle and bone are as different as rock and rubber, how do they work together you ask? Here’s where tendons come into the picture. Tendons are the fibrous cord that attaches the bone to the muscle
And a strain is an injury to the muscle or tendon, occurs due to overstretching of the muscle. Back, shoulder, hamstring, and neck are some of the common places where people often experience the strain.
What Causes a Strain Injury?
Since we are dealing with something as common as overstretching of muscle, the strain is a common injury which can be caused by various reasons:
1. A sudden wrong move in a flash can stretch the muscle (neck) causing a strain.
2. Overuse of a certain muscle group due to repetitive movements in sports can stretch the muscle resulting in strain.
3. An intensive exercise that is preceded by inadequate warm up can further pull the muscle in the wrong direction.
4. Overweight sometimes can put an additional strain on the muscles increasing the chance of muscle stretch.
Pain, spasm, swelling, inflammation, cramping, and weakness are common symptoms of all types of strains. And this brings us to our next point: Types of strain.
Types of Strain Injuries:
Based on the severity of the stretch of muscle or tendon, strain injuries are further classified into three types to help orthopaedic diagnose and treat the strain injuries effectively:
Grade 1: The muscle is overstretched but only a few fibers are torn or damaged causing a mild strain. The muscles cause light pain and inflammation and yet regains its normal strength.
Grade 2: Moderate strain was a significant number of muscle fibers that get damaged causing severe pain, swelling, tenderness, bruising and loss of strength.
Grade 3: Severe muscle strain where the muscle can rip into two pieces separate from the tendon. Everything that is experienced in the Grade 2 strain is further intensified to a serious level. The patient loses the function and has to be treated as soon as possible by the orthopaedist.
Treatment for Strain Injuries:
Strain injuries are generally treated at home using RICE procedure:
R- Rest: Avoid physical activities that put further weight on the strained area.
I- Ice: Ice the strained area every 2 or 3 hours for at least 15 minutes.
C- Compression: Wrap the strained area with a bandage to keep the swelling in check.
E-Elevation: Elevate the strained area as much as chest level (if possible)
However if the pain and swelling do not show improvement with ice, difficult in walking continue, your movement is limited or you experience continued numbness in the strained area, it is recommended you see an experienced orthopaedist to get help to improve the situation.
An orthopaedist after performing the diagnosis recommends the right treatment for the strain based on the severity of the injury. At our Joints and Sports Clinic in Surat, Dr. Chirag Patel has successfully treated hundreds of cases of all three types with remarkable accuracy and expertise. If you are suffering from a strain injury, you can contact him here Dr Chirag Patel Surat Call@+91 7574887777