A person does not have to be an athlete to encounter muscle problems, especially the most common ones such as muscle strains, muscle aches, and muscle tightness. These conditions can all lead to other more severe conditions as well, so if a person is experiencing muscle problems, it is important to address them quickly to avoid further complications. Muscle ruptures are less common,and athletes and people who participate in physical activity regularly are more at risk for this type of injury. A muscle rupture will require immediate medical attention and may require a surgery to fix the problem entirely.
Muscle strains are perhaps the most common muscle problems experienced by athletes and non-athletic people as well. A strain occurs when the muscle incurs more of a burden than it is prepared to handle, resulting in tearing in the tiny fibers that make up the muscle tissue. Over-twisting a muscle can also cause a muscle strain, which can lead to pain, tenderness, and sometimes even swelling or bruising. The RICE treatment is commonly used to help heal the injury; RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. These actions help keep swelling down and promote blood flow to the injury, thereby encouraging faster healing.
If a muscle tears completely through, or it separates from the tendons that attach it to bone, a rupture has occurred, which is one of the most severe muscle problems one can encounter. A rupture means the entire muscle has been torn apart, and it may bunch up at one end of its length. Swelling and bruising is very likely, as is intense pain. The person suffering from the muscle rupture will more than likely be incapacitated by the injury and will require immediate medical attention. A surgery will very likely be necessary to repair the muscle tissue, and a prolonged recovery period will follow the surgery.
Other muscle problems may be less severe. Muscle fatigue, for example, can occur when a muscle is overused, or when it is not conditioned properly. The muscle will feel tired and stiff, and sometimes even tender. People who do not exercise regularly are more likely to experience muscle fatigue, and when athletes feel this fatigue, it may be an indication that they have overtrained. Tightness in the muscles may indicate that the muscles are tired; when muscles tire, they tend to tighten, and weak muscles are more likely to tire quickly than well conditioned ones.
