The term “muscle injury” is commonly used to cover a broad range of muscle-related injuries, whether minor or series. Regardless, muscle injuries are never something an athlete wants to face, but unfortunately, the nature of what athletes do generally mean they are at a much higher risk of said injuries.
That said, of all traumas in sports medicine, skeletal muscle injuries are the largest, ranging to over half of all sustained injuries. But with us as your allied health care professionals you are in safe hands. Let’s talk more about skeletal muscle injuries to help you understand what they are about:
What Is A Skeletal Muscle Injury?
A skeletal muscle injury, also known as a “muscle injury”, is what happens when the muscle is damaged, usually from an extreme force being applied to it. They are usually caused by overuse, falls, or sudden movements. Any actions that involve the bones, joints or muscles that could lead to an injury should be avoided during training and checked out by a sports doctor.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Skeletal Muscle Injury?
The symptoms of a muscle injury are largely dependent on the severity of the injury. As a general rule, if you feel anything more than a very mild pain in your skeletal muscle, you should ask yourself a few questions;
- Is the pain localised, or is it over a large area?
- Does the pain feel dull and aching or sharp and burning?
- Is the pain concentrated in specific areas, or it is a generalised pain?
- Does the pain radiate to other areas of the body?
- Is the pain accompanied by any other symptoms?
- Are there any tingling sensations in the affected area?
- Does it hurt to move the affected body part?
- Does it hurt to apply any amount of pressure?
- Is your affected part more sensitive to the touch?
- Is the affected part swollen?
- Is the affected part discoloured?
- How long has the condition been going on?
Once you’ve answered all the questions above, you can be able to pinpoint the type of injury you are dealing with.
What Are The Types Of A Skeletal Muscle Injury?
There are generally four types of skeletal muscle injuries, each with its own set of symptoms.
- Sprains
A sprain is a stretching or tearing of a ligament where the muscle meets the bone, or the bone meets the bone. Ligaments are very important in the body and are often injured in sports. It is very hard to sprain a muscle, but it is possible.
- Strains
A strain happens when the muscle is torn. This can be caused by overuse, sudden high stress, direct blunt force, extreme muscle movement, and muscle imbalance. Sprains and strains are the most common muscle injuries in sports. Strains are more likely to happen than sprains.
- Contusions
Contusions are bruises caused by bleeding within the muscle. Contusions can happen after a direct impact on the muscle or with a large impact on the bone.
- Ruptures
Ruptures happen when a muscle is ripped or torn off at the joint. This is very rare, but they do happen. This is one of the most severe types of injury and can take an incredibly long time to recover from.
Conclusion
Skeletal muscle injuries can be very serious if not addressed by a sports doctor immediately. In many ways, prevention is better than cure, and many skeletal muscle injuries could be avoided by taking care of your body and the way you work out. However, when they do occur, treatment is necessary and important to get right. If you need treatment, we highly recommend visiting a physiotherapist to help you heal. With their assistance, you can get on the road to recovery to ensure you’re back in the game as soon as possible!
Invigor Health offers physiotherapy that helps fix your ongoing pains and protects you from future injuries for an active, pain-free lifestyle. If you are looking for affordable physiotherapy in Bondi, get in touch with us!
