In order to understand a torn muscle fiber, one should first look at the fine structure of a muscle. The task of the muscles is to enable movements of our body through contraction. There are 3 types of muscle groups: In most cases, the striated muscles are affected by a torn muscle fiber.
This forms the entire system of skeletal muscles and is responsible for most conscious movements. A striated muscle consists of many muscle fiber bundles, which are covered by a layer of connective tissue (this layer of connective tissue is also called fascia). A muscle fiber bundle consists of many muscle fibers, which in turn are composed of so-called myofibrils, which enable the muscle to contract (= shorten the muscle).
The myofibrils consist of sarcomeres, which give the striated muscle its name and form the smallest unit of the muscle. A torn muscle fiber occurs when the muscle is suddenly stretched against its active tension and the elasticity of the muscle fibers is exceeded. This happens in most cases during sports, especially if the muscles are not warmed up or stretched properly or if the muscles are overstrained.
Depending on the type and extent of the force applied, this can result in a pulled muscle, a torn muscle fibre or, in the worst case, a complete muscle rupture. The extent to which the affected person notices the muscle fiber tear depends on whether only individual fibers or complete fiber bundles tear. This is usually associated with shooting pain, bruising and swelling. You can also read the following articles to find out more:
- Smooth Musculature
- The cross-striped
- The heart musculature
- Fascia Roll
- Fascial Training
- Connective Tissue Massage
Duration
How long the healing phase of a ruptured muscle fiber takes depends on several factors. These include age, previous illnesses and fitness condition of the person affected, as well as the type and extent of the rupture. In general, the faster the injury is treated, the greater the chances of healing. A rupture of a muscle fibre generally has a good prognosis to heal within a short period of time, if the therapy is started in time and the PECH rule (rest, ice, compression, elevation) is followed. The average time for a complete healing and full resilience of the muscle is about 4-6 weeks.
All articles in this series:
