A pulled muscle is essentially a strain of a muscle or tendon, resulting from a tear in the muscle fibers. Pulled Hamstring Treatment. A muscle strain is an injury to a muscle or a tendon the fibrous tissue that connects muscles to bones. The same may occur with people who play basketball, football, or rugby. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree from West Virginia University and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy. Radiology Case Reports. Hyland's quick-dissolving tablets melt in your mouth instantly to relieve symptoms of pain and cramps in legs and calves, pain in limbs and joints, and cramps in your feet. Acute muscle strains and pulls happen suddenly when you load a muscle beyond its capacity. Muscular Calf Injuries in Runners. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/sprains-strains-and-other-soft-tissue-injuries. Be careful not to overstretch them because that is an easy way to pull those muscles before you begin to play. A pulled muscle happens when you overstretch, stress, twist or tear the muscle. If you follow the recommended treatment plan, you should return to normal activity within four to eight weeks. Accessed April 27, 2018. Leg feels weak when you try to lift or do squats. Quadriceps muscles on the front of the thigh. Certain parts of the body are more susceptible to strains during participation in certain sports. We avoid using tertiary references. swelling in the affected leg. The symptoms of a pulled muscle vary, depending on the exact situation, the specific person, and the extent of the 'pull'. 1. Regeneration of Skeletal Muscle After Eccentric Injury. Elevation. Keeping your leg elevated above your head as much as possible for the first day after a pull and applying ice packs to the calf four times a day for about 20 minutes at a time should help relieve the pain and help the effected muscle fibers begin repairing themselves. When you have a migraine, you'd try anything to feel better. Muscles and tendons work together to enable movement. Your provider might recommend you use over-the-counter NSAIDs like aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin and Advil) or naproxen (Aleve). When diagnosing a pulled leg muscle, a doctor will ask you about your medical history and your symptoms, so be ready to answer questions about when the pain started, what you were doing when the pain started, what helps relieve the pain and how you would describe the pain (twinge, throb or ache). Your healthcare provider will perform a physical exam and review your symptoms. Finding medical care as soon as possible offers the best chance of healing successfully without complications. Restlessness and trouble getting comfortable. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. In: Instructions for Sports Medicine Patients. Oluseun Olufade, MD, is a board-certified orthopedist. Over-the-counter pain medications like Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprofen) are commonly prescribed. Dont use an NSAID continuously for more than 10 days unless your provider says its okay. Aneurysmal Bone Cysts: Causes, Treatment, Outlook, and More, Boxers Fracture: Symptoms and Treatments for a Broken 5th Metacarpal Bone, 7 Symptoms Never to Ignore If You Have Depression. A similar injurya sprainaffects ligaments, which hold bones to other bones at a joint. Wearing supportive footwear that fits properly. Once youve had a pulled calf muscle, you have a higher risk for future strains in that area. Once your healthcare provider diagnoses your injury, they may recommend additional treatments such as: Complete calf muscle tears usually require surgery. Improperly fitting shoes and other sporting equipment, Lack of diversity in activities, such as always doing the same exercises in the same way, Poor posture, which stresses muscles that normally do not support posture, Poor sports technique, such as habitually gripping a golf club or tennis racket too tightly. For serious injuries, an MRI can help show possible tissue damage to the muscle. If your primary care provider cannot pinpoint the cause, ask for a referral to a sports medicine specialist or an orthopedist who specializes in diseases and disorders of the skeleton and muscles. In addition to pain, there may other symptoms around the injured groin, including: Redness Swelling Bruising Popping sound or a snapping sensation at the time of the injury 1 A surgeon makes an incision in your calf and reattaches the two ends of your muscle with stitches. A mild to moderate pulled muscle usually responds to home treatment. On rare occasions, severe strains can tear the muscle in two. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. the affected area feeling warm to the touch. Jonathan Cluett, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with subspecialty training in sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery. With muscle soreness, you won't feel it until a day to two later. Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 06/03/2021. See prompt medical care if you suspect a mild or moderate muscle strain. Make a donation. Accessed April 27, 2018. Take hip strain quiz What makes you more likely to have it? There are many reasons for mild to severe pain behind the knee. You can usually tell if you've pulled a groin muscle because you will feel the pain immediately. Medical Reviewer: Along with pain, the most common symptoms of a pulled muscle are: Bruising Limited range of motion Muscle cramping or spasms Muscle weakness Swelling Symptoms that might indicate a more serious condition A pulled muscle can be serious in some cases, possibly involving a torn muscle or tendon. When a tendon is torn, the symptoms are generally more severe. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. A muscle strain is an injury to one of your muscles that causes it to tear. Alessandrino F, et al. James Roland is the editor of a monthly health publication that has approximately 75,000 subscribers in the United States and Canada. Acute strains can be caused by one event, such as using poor body mechanics to lift something heavy. Like swelling, it usually only affects one leg and commonly starts in the calf. Safran MR, et al. 2017 Mar;12(1):120-123. grade 3 - a complete muscle tear. While you may initially consult your family physician, he or she may refer you to a doctor who specializes in sports medicine or orthopedic surgery. Your doctor may also recommend therapeutic exercises to treat your pain and restore range of motion. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. A pulled calf muscle refers to strains within the two muscles in the lower back of your leg that make up your calf. Some muscles are more susceptible to strains than others. The stretch will emphasize the muscles of the inner thigh and front of the thigh. You can still walk with a mild strain, but it may be uncomfortable. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. But your muscle needs to heal, and giving it that time is the best way to make sure youll be able to get back to what you love as soon as its safe. A pulled muscle occurs when you tear or overstretch some of the muscle fibers. Traumatic causes: The Traumatic causes include sports injuries. Coming to a Cleveland Clinic location?Hillcrest Cancer Center check-in changesCole Eye entrance closingVisitation, mask requirements and COVID-19 information, Notice of Intelligent Business Solutions data eventLearn more. You may need imaging exams to determine if there are any partial or complete tears in your calf muscles. He served as assistant team physician to Chivas USA (Major League Soccer) and the United States men's and women's national soccer teams. To prevent groin pulls, stretch regularly. There are some injuries you shouldn't try to "walk off." Symptoms and Grading. Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. You can strain muscles anywhere in your body. A knot-like feeling. 2013 Sep;21(9):558-70. doi:10.5435/JAAOS-21-09-558. Other signs of a pulled calf muscle include: mild swelling redness bruising inability to stand up on the ball of your foot A severe pull in your calf muscles can leave you with feelings of. Shin splints & stress fractures occur due to repetitive sports, like running. The doctor will also feel the affected area, checking for swelling, tenderness and the pain centers. Soft cast or boot to keep your lower leg from moving. They might also cause other symptoms like bruising and weakness. Policy. Muscle Tweaks generally hurt and ache. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.org," "Mayo Clinic Healthy Living," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Unwillingness to be petted or picked up. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. Use this list to select a high quality, effective wrist brace that matches your needs. Information about medical problems you've had, Information about the medical problems of your parents or siblings, All the medications and dietary supplements you take. A strain of the thigh/hip is a stretching or tearing of a muscle and is commonly referred to as a "pulled muscle.". Use of this website and any information contained herein is governed by the Healthgrades User Agreement. Never push yourself too hard, too soon. The difference between a strain and a sprain is that a strain involves an injury to a muscle or to the band of tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone, while a sprain injures the bands of tissue that connect two bones together. This content does not have an Arabic version. Seek immediate medical care if you sustain a traumatic arm injury or if you experience any warning signs and symptoms, including: Arm or hand numbness or tingling. To help prevent muscle strains in your legs, you can: If you have a Grade I or Grade II strain, your doctor will probably recommend that you follow the RICE rule: In addition, you can take a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin and other brand names) or naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn and others), to ease pain and relieve swelling. A grade two strain is when more of your muscle fibres are injured. A sudden sharp pain in the lower leg. The pain may feel more like soreness, tenderness or achiness rather than a stabbing kind of pain. Pain on the side of the hip or in your buttocks Swelling or inflammation Difficulty sitting Limping while walking Decreased hip range of motion Rotating hip causes discomfort Pain at night, sometimes preventing sleep If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it's essential to get an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon as soon as possible. A muscle strain, or pulled muscle, occurs when your muscle is overstretched or torn. Symptoms of a Grade III strain may last until the torn muscle is repaired surgically. Anyone can get a pulled calf muscle. Your doctor may also prescribe stronger pain medications these are only taken temporarily and shouldnt be used more often than as prescribed. The best way to prevent muscle strains is to stretch and warm up before exercising. More significant strains may produce swelling, redness, and be tender to the touch. Other complications include chronic pain, disability, loss of mobility, weakness, and poor quality of life. Strains are classified with three grades to indicate how severe they are. The symptoms of a pulled muscle range from mild to severe, depending on the extent of the injury. 8 Tips for Choosing an Orthopedic Surgeon. You can usually treat them at home with rest, icing and over-the-counter medicine. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier; 2018. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Proper conditioning is needed to prevent groin strain in athletes. Last updated on Oct 10, 2022. Tennis leg: gastrocnemius injury is a far more common cause than plantaris rupture. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Hear from real doctors who treat orthopedic conditions and perform surgery. But golfers can pull a hamstring, too. People often report the sensation of pain as the feeling of being "stabbed." A rubber donut may be used to decrease the pain of sitting on a swollen buttock. 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