No matter whether muscle strain or muscle fiber tear: If an injury to the muscles is suspected, the movement should be stopped immediately and the injury treated according to the so-called PECH rule.
PECH rule
- Rest: whether muscle fiber tear in the calf, thigh or arm: the affected body part should be spared as much as possible in the following days and weeks.
- Ice: Cooling helps to relieve the pain and inhibits bleeding into the tissue. However, the cold pack should never be applied directly to the skin.
- Compression: apply an elastic pressure bandage. This can prevent too much swelling of the injured area. Ideally, apply a cooling ointment to the injured area before applying the bandage.
- Elevate: elevate the affected body part as often as possible after the injury, this can reduce blood flow to the damaged tissue.
Final certainty, whether a muscle strain, a muscle fiber tear or a muscle tear, can only give a visit to the doctor. This can – if necessary – also prescribe physiotherapy treatment or massage.
With strong pain to the doctor
In the event of severe pain, a doctor should be consulted in any case so that the severity of the injury can be examined in more detail. With the help of an ultrasound examination, the doctor can determine what type of injury is present and how extensive the damage to the muscle actually is. If more than 75 percent of the muscle is torn, the muscle fiber tear may require surgery. During the first 48 hours after the muscle fiber tear, the affected area should be cooled as much as possible. Under no circumstances should warming or circulation-enhancing ointments be used during this time, as they can promote bleeding into the tissue. However, such ointments may be used at a later stage to promote healing of the bruise. It is also not advisable to stretch the affected muscles immediately after the muscle fiber tear, as stretching can make the injury worse.
Muscle fiber tear: complications
A muscle fiber tear results in bleeding into the tissue with subsequent bruising. If the bleeding is very severe, the area of injury may not completely recover. If connective tissue grows into the bruise, scar tissue forms that is significantly less elastic than the muscle tissue. This reduces the muscle’s ability to contract and exert force. It also makes it more susceptible to re-injury. If a patient still has complaints after the injury has healed, they are usually due to the scar tissue. In such cases, it may be appropriate to surgically remove the scar tissue. Another complication after a muscle fiber tear is that a cyst forms around a bruise that has not healed completely. A cyst is a capsule that contains the undegraded blood from the bruise. If the cyst interferes, it must be excised by surgery. If training is resumed too soon after a muscle fiber tear or the injured area is massaged too soon, chronic inflammation can occur in the muscles. As a result, calcification can occur, which can ossify over time (myositis ossificans). Ossification, similar to the formation of scar tissue in the muscles, creates areas that are less able to stretch and contract than the rest of the muscles.
Muscle fiber tear: how long it takes to heal
How long it takes for a muscle fiber tear to heal always depends on the individual case. As a rule, the duration of the healing process is between four and six weeks. If the muscle fiber tear is treated according to the PECH rule immediately after the injury occurs, this usually has a positive effect on the duration of the healing process. After a rest period of at least five days, anything that does not cause pain is allowed during the healing process. After a few days, it is usually possible to put a light load on the affected muscles again. If you no longer experience any discomfort when putting strain on the muscles in everyday life, you can also try moderate cycling, a brisk walk or a casual endurance run. If you feel pain during a load, stop it immediately to prevent further damage to the muscles.Under no circumstances should you return to full training before the muscle fiber tear has completely healed. Until then, absolutely refrain from fast, jerky movements in the injured muscles.
Preventing a muscle fiber tear
You cannot actively prevent a torn muscle fiber or pulled muscle, but with a few simple tips and tricks, you can significantly reduce the risk of such a sports injury:
- Warm up carefully: Warming up before exercise increases blood flow and muscle temperature. This allows the muscles to work better and injuries occur less frequently.
- Put maximum loads at the beginning of the workout if possible. Most muscle fiber tears occur namely only 30 to 60 minutes after the start of the load, when the muscles are already fatigued.
- Stretch your muscles carefully, because a well-stretched muscle is less prone to injury.
- Avoid imbalances: for example, if your muscles are much more pronounced on the front of the thigh than on the back of the thigh, such imbalances can promote injuries.
