Contrary to cliche, that which does not kill you does not really make you stronger. In fact, frequent overuse and misuse of exercise injuries may alter your movement patterns and make you weaker. Injured muscles strive toward self-protection, but the protective movement pattern may not be functional to the activity and may not produce the desired fitness results.
Identification
When a muscle is stretched beyond its normal range of motion, or when it is presented with loads that exceed its maximum strength capacity, it may respond by tearing or straining. A muscular injury may involve some or all of its fibers, which are the microscopic proteins that facilitate muscular contraction. Muscle strains are classified by three degrees. A first-degree strain involves a minute separation of the muscle fibers. A second-degree strain involves a partial tearing of some fibers. Third-degree strains, while rare, cause a complete rupture of the muscle fibers. A severe injury may also involve the tendons, which connects the muscles to the bones.
Location
Exercise-induced muscle injuries usually involve the superficial muscles that cross two joints, according to the American Journal of Sports Medicine website. Examples may include the quadriceps and hamstrings and the biceps and triceps. The strains usually occur in the myotendionous junction, which is the point where the muscle attaches to the tendon.
Effects
Muscles respond to exercise-induced injuries by bruising, becoming inflamed and causing pain. The inflammatory phase usually begins at the time of the injury. The injured section of the muscle may be tender to the touch, and range of motion may be limited. This is known as the destruction phase.
Time Frame
The repair phase begins when the destruction phase subsides. Special cells called macrophages remove the dead muscle fibers. Within 18 hours of the injury, special satellite cells migrate from healthy muscle sections to the injured area. They fuse together to form myoblasts, which in turn fuse and form myotubes. The myotubes eventually mature and form muscle fibers. Scar tissue may also form during the repair phase. While scar tissue is part of the healing process, it is less flexible and significantly weaker than the original muscle.
Significance
While scar tissue is a normal part of the healing process, it may also make you more susceptible to re-injury, says Dr. Young Pham, in an article on the Texas Sports Medicine and Wellness Center website. He recommends the R.I.C.E treatment, which stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation, within the first 72 hours after the injury. Dr. Pham also advocates deep tissue massage as a means of breaking up scar tissue.
Prevention/Solution
Avoid muscle injury by allowing 48 hours between weight training sessions, and by performing large, multi-joint exercises, such as bench presses and lat pull-downs, before performing isolation exercises for weaker muscles such as the triceps and biceps. Always perform slow, controlled movements, using weights you can lift while maintaining proper form. Yoga enthusiasts should distinguish between functional flexibility exercises and contortion and avoid the latter.
