Overview

Muscle strains are injuries to muscles or tendons, the fibrous tissue that connects muscles to bones. Minor injuries may only cause a muscle or tendon to overstretch, whereas more severe injuries may cause partial or complete tears in these tissues. Strains, also known as pulled muscles, are common in the lower back and the muscles at the back of the thigh (hamstrings). 

A strain differs from a sprain in that a strain involves an injury to a muscle or the band of tissue that connects a muscle to a bone, whereas a sprain involves an injury to the bands of tissue that connect two bones. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation are used as initial treatments. Mild strains can be treated successfully at home. Severe strains may require immediate medical attention.

Causes

Acute strains can be caused by a single event, such as lifting something heavy with poor body mechanics, whereas Chronic muscle strains can occur as a result of repetitive injuries, which occur when a muscle is stressed by performing the same motion repeatedly. Muscle strains occur when the muscle fibres are torn. Muscle strains can be caused by a variety of factors, including. 

• Overuse occurs when the same motion is done repeatedly. 

• Exercising without stretching or warming up 

• Lack of flexibility in your muscles (and the fibres within them)

Symptoms

When you tear or strain a muscle, it can cause small blood vessels to rupture, resulting in local bleeding or bruising. It can also cause pain by irritating nerve endings in the muscles. Muscle strain symptoms include: 

• Bruising, swelling, or redness 

• Pain when the muscle is at rest 

• Pain when the muscle or related joint is used 

• Muscular or tendon weakness 

• Inability to use the muscle at all 

• Spasms of the muscles 

• You are unable to put weight on the injury or use it normally because you are suffering from muscle spasms or cramping, in which your muscles painfully tighten on their own.

Ayurvedic View

Mamsa medo gata vata- due to the following nidana (causes) like ati vyayama (overexertion), rata prayoga (excess travelling), ratri jagarana (night awakening), ruksha (dry, less nutritious food), etc, all lead to vata dosha prakopa (aggravation), which settles in mamsa dhatu (muscle tissues), causing sudden contraction leading to pain, stiffness. This happens when a muscle is strained or when there is a spasm. The Ayurveda way of approach is to bring dosha back to prakruta awastha (balance state), nourish the body, and reduce the symptoms by ayurvedic panchakarma treatment.