The symptoms of a pulled muscle range from mild to severe, depending on the extent of the injury. When you have a migraine, you'd try anything to feel better. Severe strains sometimes require surgical repair. Sprains, strains and other soft-tissue injuries. Then, carefully follow your treatment and recovery plan. Here are the five symptoms you shouldn't ignore. The more you work them out and gradually stretch them, the more flexibility and give they have when you move. the affected area feeling warm to the touch. Make sure to warm up before exercising or playing sports, and give your body time to rest and recover after intense activity. Learn about symptoms and treatment. Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) can be helpful for pain relief during this time period. It's a common injury in athletes and can happen in different severities. Stretch your legs apart by gently pushing over your front knee. Do not bounce. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The equivalent injury to a ligament is a sprain. If you have a Grade II strain, you may need to be evaluated by a specialist, such as an orthopedist. Hamstring muscles on the back of the thigh. You should expect to make a full recovery from a muscle strain. Even if the lump isn't painful, if it continues to grow, or if it's located deep within an extremity . A pulled calf muscle, or a calf muscle strain, occurs when the muscles in your calf the soleus and gastrocnemius get overstretched. Previously, he worked as a newspaper reporter and editor, covering issues ranging from the environment and government to family matters and education. They help you flex and bend your foot, ankle and knee. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved, Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Pain in the back of the thigh and lower buttock when walking . https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/sprains-strains-and-other-soft-tissue-injuries. Its important to work your way up to more intense exercises gradually. Some minor injuries can lead to limping without pain, such as a minor tear to their ACL, minor [] Walls RM, et al., eds. Available for Android and iOS devices. Crutches may be needed. By Jonathan Cluett, MD A muscle strain is an injury to one of your muscles that causes it to tear. Once youve had a pulled calf muscle, you have a higher risk for future strains in that area. Here are 14 foods and supplements to help you recover from an injury more. You can treat most muscle strains with at-home methods of first aid, including: Its rare to need surgery for a muscle strain. Also, in calf muscle injuries, Doppler studies may be done to check for a blood clot. Accessed 5/29/2021. Muscle strains can affect anyone. By initially resting the muscle, the amount of spasm and scarring can be minimized. Once your healthcare provider diagnoses your injury, they may recommend additional treatments such as: Complete calf muscle tears usually require surgery. Your doctor may suggest that you immobilize the area with a brace or splint. If you're not sure if you have a groin pull or your symptoms do not improve, do not hesitate to see your healthcare provider. When done correctly, stretches should cause a gentle pulling sensation but never pain. Prompt treatment is important for your overall recovery. Strains may be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the injury. A pulled muscle occurs when you tear or overstretch some of the muscle fibers. A pulled muscle is a type of soft tissue injury called a strain. Grade II strains may take two to three months. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Dull, sharp, and/or achy pain in the neck. Strain. Accessed April 27, 2018. Score: 4.1/5 (42 votes) . With rest and proper treatment, most groin pulls will heal on their own within four to six weeks. For immediate self-care of a muscle strain, try the R.I.C.E. For golfers, you might notice a calf pull just walking the course. The names of the muscles are adductor brevis, adductor magnus, adductor longus, pectineus, and gracilis. Severe or rapidly worsening pain. Numbness. Like hamstrings, they are more susceptible to injury during high-velocity sports and sports with contact. Make a donation. Because the leg has many different muscles, it is vulnerable to several different types of muscle strains. Alessandrino F, et al. Examples of causes include: Several factors increase the risk of pulling a muscle, including: Muscle imbalance, which causes one group of muscles to overcompensate for another group. This damage can be acute or chronic and these two scenarios have different causes. Research shows that up to 10% of people with symptoms of calf pulls actually have DVT, which can be a life-threatening condition. "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. DETAILS. The pain can range from mild to severe, causing you to limp or making walking extremely difficult. Athletic dogs get strains, but this injury also can happen when a. This one of the reasons why a few simple stretches of your quadriceps are good ways to prepare them for a round of golf. A third degree side strain is a complete tear of the muscle or a tear of the muscle from the tendon. In most cases, symptoms are either totally gone, or very much improved, within 8 to 10 weeks. Privacy Policy|Advertising Policy|Privacy Preferences Center|Do Not Sell My Personal Information. A strain of the thigh/hip is a stretching or tearing of a muscle and is commonly referred to as a "pulled muscle.". Quick pivots, jumps or abrupt stops can cause strains. Accessed 5/29/2021. Subscribe to Drugs.com newsletters for the latest medication news, new drug approvals, alerts and updates. The hamstring and quadriceps muscle groups are particularly at risk for muscle strains because they cross both the hip and knee joints. Stretch your knees down toward the ground. In most cases, a pulled muscle will heal on its own, though usually that means refraining from activities that will put pressure on that particular muscle. These muscles pull the legs togetherand move your hip in other ways. Help Millions of people find the right doctor and care they need, Get immediate care and visit with providers from the comfort of your home, or anywhere, Urgent care centers can be faster and cheaper for situations that are not life threatening, Doctors and patients discuss the latest medical treatments and health tips, Search prescription drugs for why theyre used, side effects and more, Sign up for our free "Healthy Living News", Back and Neck Surgery (Except Spinal Fusion), View All Bones, Joints and Muscles Articles, https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/hamstring-muscle-injuries/, https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/hip-strains/, https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/muscle-strains-in-the-thigh/, https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/sprains-and-strains, https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/sprains-strains-and-other-soft-tissue-injuries/. As a group, they are known as the hamstring group of muscle. More severe cases may require surgery or physical therapy. To confirm a diagnosis, the doctor will examine you. Acute strains can be caused by one event, such as using poor body mechanics to lift something heavy. Ask your healthcare provider when you can gradually start to do light activities again. Mild muscle strain can cause pain that feels similar to post-workout soreness. People most likely to have pulled or strained hamstrings are sprinters, football players and other athletes in high-speed sports. redness or discoloration of the sore spot. "Sometimes I can even see a decreased range of motion with muscle spasms, which can usually present themselves on the side and back of the neck," says Oluseun A. Olufade . 2020 Jan;8(1):2325967119897247. doi:10.1177/2325967119897247, Lynch TS, Bedi A, Larson CM. There may also be a popping sound or snapping sensation. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier Saunders; 2012. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Oluseun Olufade, MD, is a board-certified orthopedist. They are also used for high-speed activities, such as track and field events (running, hurdles, long jump), football, basketball, and soccer. Strains are what happens when some of the thousands of fibers in your muscles are pulled beyond their limit and tear. Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 01/28/2022. They can be caused by fatigue or overuse. Follow an exercise program aimed at stretching and strengthening your leg muscles. Increasing your overall flexibility will also protect your muscles from future injuries. Strains can also involve tendons, which are connective tissue bands that attach muscles to bones. In addition to pain, there may other symptoms around the injured groin, including: Groin pulls are sometimes accompanied by a stress fracture of the pubis (the forward-facing pelvic bones). Rest the injured muscle (take a temporary break from sports activities). A calf muscle pull will leave the muscle feeling sore, tender and stiff. See prompt medical care if you suspect a mild or moderate muscle strain. Another study of soccer players identified gastrocnemius strains as making up 12% of all muscle injuries. You may feel the blood clot pain is constant, and if you have any of these serious DVT symptoms, you must call a doctor immediately. For serious injuries, an MRI can help show possible tissue damage to the muscle. Squat to the ground with one leg in front of your body. The adductor muscles pull the legs together. Muscle Strains in the Thigh. National Institutes of Healthhttps://www.niams.nih.gov/, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Sudden pain in the back of your lower leg. Wearing supportive footwear that fits properly. Copyright 2023 Healthgrades Marketplace, LLC, Patent US Nos. A torn calf muscle may require surgery. 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. Swelling. 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. Keeping your calf muscles strong and conditioned. General principles of orthopedic injuries. Strains can develop slowly over time or happen very suddenly. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. This includes RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation) and NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Naprosyn). However, if the diagnosis is in doubt, X-rays or a magnetic resonance imaging scan may be necessary. Compression is especially important to try to minimize swelling and bleeding into the muscle. Chronic muscle strains and pulls develop gradually over time. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree from West Virginia University and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy. This can happen if you overwork the muscle or twist it too hard. In more severe injuries, where the muscle or tendon has been completely ruptured, your doctor may be able to see or feel a defect in the area of injury. Your healthcare provider will perform a physical exam and review your symptoms. The hip flexors are a group of muscles toward the front of the hip.They help you move, or flex, your leg and knee up towards your body. https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/sprains-and-strains/advanced. Most people can recover by resting their muscle and using at-home treatments like ice and over-the-counter medicine. Along with pain, the most common symptoms of a pulled muscle are: A pulled muscle can be serious in some cases, possibly involving a torn muscle or tendon. Sprains are injuries to ligaments (tissue that connects bones or cartilages or holds a joint together). Accessed April 27, 2018. In: Instructions for Sports Medicine Patients. 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. Muscles located in the Back of the thigh are the Hamstring muscles. When they contract, they pull our legs inward. Muscle Tweaks generally hurt and ache. People might also experience visible bruising if surrounding blood vessels are damaged. A surgeon makes an incision in your calf and reattaches the two ends of your muscle with stitches. Even if you dont play sports or work out often, you can still strain a muscle, especially if you suddenly exert yourself much harder than you usually do. Using proper technique when playing sports. Be careful not to overstretch them because that is an easy way to pull those muscles before you begin to play. A muscle strain, or pulled muscle, occurs when your muscle is overstretched or torn. See a doctor if your symptoms worsen despite treatment especially if your pain becomes intolerable, or you experience numbness or tingling. A grade two strain is when more of your muscle fibres are injured. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. 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. Symptoms of a muscle strain include: Pain. A severe strain can cause. 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