Muscle strains

A strain is an acute or chronic soft tissue injury that occurs to a muscle, tendon, or both (contractile components). The equivalent injury to a ligament is a sprain. A strain is an acute or chronic soft tissue injury that occurs to a muscle, tendon, or both (contractile components). The equivalent injury to a ligament is a sprain. Typical signs and symptoms of a strain include pain, functional loss of the involved structure, muscle weakness, contusion, and localized inflammation. A strain can range from mild annoyance to very painful, depending on the extent of injury. A strain can occur as a result of improper body mechanics with any activity (e.g., contact sports, lifting heavy objects, overstretching) that can induce mechanical trauma or injury. Generally, the muscle or tendon overstretches and is placed under more physical stress than it can exert. Strains commonly result in a partial or complete tear of a tendon or muscle, or they can be severe in the form of a complete tendon rupture. The most common body location for strains to occur is in the foot, leg, or back. Degrees of Injury (as classified by the American College of Sports Medicine): To establish a uniform definition amongst healthcare providers, in 2012 a Consensus Statement on suggested new terminology and classification of muscle injuries was published.