Diagnosis

The diagnosis of muscle strain is made on the basis of the symptoms that emerge during a conversation with the treating physician. The exact course of the accident and the symptoms will be explained during the consultation. This is followed by a physical examination.

The doctor checks the appearance and function of the affected muscle. Clear indications for a muscle strain are: If a pulled muscle is suspected, the attending physician will palpate the affected muscle for pressure pain and muscle hardness. When a muscle strain is diagnosed, a functional analysis is also carried out to clarify how the pain behaves during active and passive stretching and loading.It also determines how much strength is lost through muscle strain.

Diagnostic imaging procedures such as ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging are rarely used to diagnose muscle strain; they are only used if the strain is to be distinguished from a torn muscle fiber. This is because muscle fibers are not clearly structurally damaged in a pulled muscle and therefore cannot be made visible by these procedures.

Increasing pain,
A limited muscle function,
Additional muscle cramps
And a hardening of the muscle.

Therapy

A part of the therapy is also the prevention of muscle strain: Some factors favour the cracking of the muscle: Therefore, before each training session you should warm up accordingly and give your body enough time to recover after a session. In the case of a pulled muscle, the treatment aims to eliminate the muscular malfunction and to relax the affected muscle, thus eliminating the symptoms. In any case, the following applies: Immediate start of therapy.

This means: Any sporting activity should be stopped immediately if a muscle strain is suspected. If a muscle strain has occurred, then the “PECH rule” should be applied: In addition, the fluid that has leaked from the blood vessels into the surrounding tissue is more easily removed.

Insufficient warming up and missing stretching exercises
Insufficient training or muscle fatigue due to too few and too short recovery phases or too many training units
Pwie Pause: The aching body part should be immobilized immediately.
Like ice: Cool the affected area immediately with ice, cold running water or a cold compress.
Cold reduces bleeding and swelling. Never place ice directly on the skin, but cover the affected area with a cloth to prevent frostbite.
Cwie Compression: The next step is to apply a firm bandage with an elastic bandage. This prevents bruising, which could lead to further tears within the muscles.
Hwie Hochlagerung: If the injured part is elevated, the blood supply is reduced.
This also reduces pain and the feeling of tension.

The affected area should be carefully cooled immediately after the onset of the pain typical of muscle strain. Cooling with the help of a cooling pad or cold compresses should be carried out over a period of approximately 15 to 20 minutes. During cooling, however, it is particularly important that the coolant is never placed directly on the skin surface.

In order to avoid damage caused by the cold, it is therefore recommended that the coolant be wrapped in a thin towel and only then applied to the affected area. In addition, elevating the area of the body affected by muscle strain helps to alleviate the symptoms and prevent consequential damage. By applying an elastic bandage (compression bandage), the accumulation of fluid in the area of the pulled muscle can be avoided, thus significantly shortening the healing time.

Even by applying these simple first aid measures, the complaints caused by the pulled muscle can be relieved in a timely manner. Nevertheless, even if the pain disappears quickly, care should be taken that the affected muscle is spared for the time being. Therefore, the patient should refrain from any kind of sports activity for a period of at least one to two weeks.

In addition, passive movements must also be avoided urgently during the healing phase. It is also important to note that if a muscle strain is present, local warming measures and massages can disturb the body’s own repair mechanism and thus delay the healing process. If a muscle strain is present, a doctor must always be consulted if the resulting pain does not subside significantly within a short time.

In addition, the restriction of movement and the lack of muscle strength are considered to indicate the presence of a more serious injury. In many cases, the development of muscle strain can be effectively prevented by simple measures. For this reason, athletes should note that every sports session must be started with a light warm-up.In this way, the muscles are warmed up and prepared for the later strain.

Since cold weather conditions in particular significantly increase the risk of muscle strain, great importance should be attached to a comprehensive warm-up before the actual training. Especially on cold days, this warm-up training should include a period of at least 15 to 20 minutes. Although it can be assumed that the risk of muscle strain is much higher in cold weather, it cannot be concluded that extensive warm-up training is not necessary in warm weather.

Although a higher ambient temperature reduces the cold-related risk of muscle strain, the organism loses a lot of fluid and electrolytes, especially in warm weather. Both the loss of fluid and the lack of certain ions (especially calcium and magnesium) can affect muscle function to such an extent that muscle strain occurs much more quickly. For this very reason, it is essential to consume sufficient amounts of fluids and electrolytes before any kind of sporting activity.

In addition, the right equipment can help to effectively prevent muscle strain. Especially suitable footwear plays a decisive role in this context. In summary, it can be said that a number of factors favour the muscle’s tendency to tear: Therefore, before each training session you should warm up accordingly and give your body enough time to recover after a session.

Insufficient warming up and missing stretching exercises
Insufficient training or muscle fatigue due to too few and too short recovery phases or too many training units