Torn muscle, torn muscle bundle
Definition
A torn muscle fibre is a typical sports injury in which the tearing of individual muscle fibres occurs due to heavy strain.
General information
The muscle fiber tear must be clinically distinguished from a simple muscle strain. Both diseases are caused by high loads acting on the affected muscle, they only differ in the extent of damage to the respective muscles. In contrast to muscle strain, however, structural changes can be detected in the presence of a torn muscle fiber, which lead to the partial destruction of muscle cells as well as to bleeding into the muscle tissue.
A torn muscle fiber is generally one of the most common sports injuries. In most cases, however, such an impairment of the musculature can be observed in the area of the thigh (torn muscle fibre in the thigh). The torn muscle fiber of the shoulder, on the other hand, is comparatively rare. Typical sports that can lead to a torn muscle fiber of the shoulder are handball, tennis, squash and frisbee. The most common causes of a torn muscle fiber tear in the shoulder are maximum loads without prior heating of the muscles.
Causes of a torn muscle fiber at the shoulder
The diagnosis of a torn muscle fibre at the shoulder is divided into several steps. As a rule, the diagnosis begins with a detailed doctor-patient consultation (anamnesis). During this conversation, the patient should describe the symptoms he/she has experienced as precisely as possible.
In addition, the mechanism of origin (“accident course”) plays a decisive role in the diagnosis of a torn shoulder muscle fiber. Already on the basis of this initial information, the attending physician can determine whether the injury in question is more of a stretching injury (for example a pulled muscle, torn muscle fibre or torn muscle) or a simple muscle contusion. Following the doctor-patient consultation, a physical examination can help to confirm the suspected diagnosis of “torn muscle fibre at the shoulder” and determine the extent of the injury.
For this purpose, various movement tests are usually performed. During the physical examination, the attending physician palpates the shoulder and tries to provoke pain through direct pressure. During the examination, attention should also be paid to possible skin symptoms (bruising, swelling, wounds).
Small dents, which in some cases are not visible but only palpable, can provide an indication of the presence of a torn muscle fibre in the shoulder. In addition, the diagnosis of a torn muscle fibre at the shoulder can be supplemented by various imaging measures. An ultrasound examination (sonography) often provides more precise information about the extent of the torn muscle fiber at the shoulder.
In this way, possible bruises that are not visible from the skin surface can be visualized. The ultrasound examination is also suitable for monitoring the progress of the torn muscle fibre at the shoulder. If the findings are unclear or if the form is particularly pronounced, the diagnosis can be supplemented by a magnetic resonance tomography of the shoulder (MRI of the shoulder for short) if a muscle fiber rupture is suspected. In the case of a torn muscle fiber at the shoulder caused by a direct violent impact, an X-ray examination should also be performed. This is the only way to reliably rule out possible impairments of the bony structures.
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