Therapy
Therapy for torn muscle fibers in the buttocks is decisive for the course of the injury and in most cases remains conservative. The first measure of treatment should be the so-called PECH rule, which is used for many sports injuries. PECH stands for pause, ice, compression and elevation, whereby protection and immediate cooling are the most important components of therapy.
One should therefore immediately stop exercising and cool the affected area with ice. The torn muscle fibre should be wrapped with an elastic bandage and thus compressed. It is difficult to sit upright when the muscle fiber rupture is located on the buttocks; it may be necessary to prefer the prone position to the supine position.
Further therapy includes effective pain therapy, e.g. with ibuprofen or paracetamol. The treatment with not well researched methods such as stimulation current and the application of heat is controversial, but harmful influences could not be proven either. The self-healing rate is very high, with the above mentioned therapy the healing time can possibly be shortened and the occurrence of symptoms such as pain and swelling can be alleviated. If the muscle can be exercised again, lost muscle tissue should first be rebuilt with physiotherapy before the full load is resumed.
Duration and prognosis
It is difficult to give a general indication of the duration of a torn muscle fibre at the buttocks, as every person reacts differently to an injury and sets the body’s own healing processes in motion. In addition, the duration of the limitation in the case of a torn muscle fibre at the bottom depends on the severity of the injury and any accompanying injuries. It is important to know that in the case of such an injury, the right treatment, especially in the acute phase, and the right behavior after the injury can positively influence the time until healing.
It is not entirely clear whether the time until full weight bearing can actually be shortened in this way, but in any case it will relieve pain and swelling and thus ease the suffering. As an approximate indication, in the case of a torn muscle fiber at the buttocks, the affected muscle should be loaded as little as possible in the first week, after which everyday tasks, with the exception of heavy work, are usually possible. The period until complete stress in sports lasts several weeks, whereby competitive athletes often recover faster than laymen.
In general, it can be assumed that after a torn muscle fibre on the buttocks, the muscles can be fully used again about 6 weeks after the injury. Only in some cases, problems and a delay in healing can occur over months.
