Symptoms of Pulled Muscles

Anatomy and Physiology

A pulled muscle can occur anywhere in the body, as there are hundreds of individual muscles in the human body. Some muscles, however, are more susceptible to injury based on lack of strength or probability of exposure to harmful situations. Any muscle has the ability to stretch and move, but by the same token, all muscles can be moved, snapped or stretched beyond their natural ability, and that is when injuries occur.

Because pulled muscles can be more difficult than a broken bone or other obvious injury to diagnose, they are frequently categorized into three grade levels, each of them defining the seriousness of a pulled muscle injury. The symptoms associated with each grade level are usually indicative of the severity of a pulled muscle, which can help to determine the best course of action for healing it as well.

Grade one injuries are very minor, and the person may not notice that damage has been done until the activity that caused the injury is over. The symptoms that occur with grade one injuries often include cramping, tightness, minor or moderate pain when the muscle is stretched or contracted. This type of injury is most consistent with overstretching and is frequently healed very quickly, and in many cases, without any treatment or intervention.

Grade two injuries are more severe than grade one injuries, and the pain involved is typically immediate, directly following the injury. The person will notice pain during stretching and contraction of the injured muscle, and it may be sore to the touch. There may also be swelling and bruising around the affected area, depending on how severe the injury is. Grade two injuries include minor fibers tears, and often require some time and therapy in order to heal properly.

Grade three injuries are the most severe, and the effects can be detrimental if left untreated. The person will often experience immediate burning or stabbing pain, or a popping sensation when the muscle tears. Often times these muscles become immobile because they are incomplete, especially if they are no longer connected properly with the joint. There is typically bruising and swelling associated with these injuries, and in severe cases, surgery may be required to repair the damaged muscle.

Pain, Limited Mobility, Swelling and Other Symptoms

There are a variety of symptoms associated with a pulled muscle. Typically the more serious the injury, the more obvious the symptoms are, and they also increase in number in most cases. The most common symptoms of a pulled muscle are pain and tenderness. This can be immediate or gradual, and with or without direct contact. People who do not pay attention to their body signals often will not feel the pain or discomfort until after the damage has been done, whereas sometimes the discomfort will be apparent right before injury is likely to occur.

Stiffness and limited mobility are also signs that a pulled muscle injury has occurred. This can be due to the muscle’s resistance to further stretching or straining, or, if the injury is severe enough, it may not be able to move properly anymore. In moderate to severe injuries, swelling and bruising can often be seen on the outside, as the blood vessels in the surrounding skin are frequently affected after the injury as well.

Effects of Pulled Muscles on the Rest of the Body

When a muscle injury occurs, it is often not the only muscle that is affected in the incident. Very often, muscles that are injured are interconnected with other muscles in the body, and they too can become injured or affected. This does not mean that direct injury is necessarily done to the other muscles, though that is also a consideration in some circumstances.

More often than not, the supporting muscles are forced to pick up the slack for the injured muscle, and they become fatigued over time. They body requires a network of functioning muscles in order to work properly, and therefore when one or more muscles is injured, the others must overcompensate in order to keep the body in working order as productively as possible. As healing occurs, the supporting muscles can return to their normal level of functionality and the body then works in harmony as it did prior to the injury.