Muscle Tears: Immediate Steps to Take After an Injury

Fatal tear is a muscle injury that occurs due to excessive work or exercise. Due to fatigue, overuse or improper use, the muscle gets overstretched and torn. While doing everyday work, lifting things, playing or doing any other work, you can put more stress on your muscles at any time, due to which they tear. Any muscle in the body can tear, but it is more common in the lower back, shoulders and back of the thigh. Muscle tears are sometimes also called muscle strains. Muscle tears can damage small blood vessels, which can also cause bruising. It also causes pain.

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Based on the damage, muscle tears are divided into three grades. These grades are as follows -

Grade 1
Grade 1 means that only a few fibers of the muscle present in the muscle have been damaged. This is the lowest level of damage caused by muscle tear and heals in two to three weeks. 

Grade 2
Grade 2 means that many fibers present in the muscle have been damaged but the muscle is not completely torn. It may take several months to heal. 

Grade 3
Grade 3 means that the affected muscle is completely torn. This injury is common in sports injuries. It may require surgery and may not heal completely even after several months. 

Rest is necessary when a muscle tear occurs, otherwise a grade 1 injury can become a grade 3 injury.

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If the level of damage caused by muscle tear is low, cramps may be felt but the muscle will still be flexible to use. The following are the common symptoms of muscle tear -

• Sudden onset of pain.
• Cut, redness, swelling or bruise due to the injury. 
• Difficulty moving the affected area. 
• Pain in the affected area even without moving.
• Feeling a lump.
• Feeling weakness in the affected area. 
• Muscle cramps.
• Feeling stiff.

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The following are the first steps to treat a sprain -

Rest
Rest the area affected by the sprain and do not move it for some time, but too much rest can also weaken the muscle, so start using it slowly after 1-2 days.

Apply Ice
Do not apply ice directly on your skin. Wrap ice cubes in a towel and then apply it on the affected area for 15-20 minutes. Start applying it immediately after the sprain so that the swelling reduces.

Apply Pressure
To reduce swelling, tie a warm bandage on the affected area until the swelling reduces, but do not tie the bandage too tightly, doing so can reduce blood flow in the body.

Raise The Affected Area
If possible, keep the area affected by the sprain elevated above the heart level.​

Other Remedies
When you resume your daily activities, warm up before exercising to increase blood flow to the muscles and prevent sprains. Take medicines like ibuprofen and acetaminophen to reduce pain and swelling.

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Grade 1 and 2 muscle tears can be treated with first aid at home, but visit your doctor in the following situations -

• If after a day or two the person is unable to move the affected area or even put weight on it.
• If the pain does not subside even after a week.
• If the affected area is numb.
• If the affected area is cold or the skin color has faded or changed.
• The injury is bleeding. 
• Tingling sensation in the affected area.
• You are unable to walk.
• If the pain is severe.
• If you are unable to move your arms and legs.
• If you need advice to carry out your daily activities, then definitely visit your doctor.

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Muscle tears can be a serious injury in which muscle fibers are torn. This can happen due to heavy exercise, sudden shock, or excessive stretching. In case of muscle tear, immediately apply ice compress on the affected area for 15-20 minutes to reduce swelling and pain. Rest the injured muscle and avoid excessive activity. Keep the injured area elevated and use a bandage for light pressure to reduce swelling. Take medicine for pain and swelling as advised by the doctor.