A muscle strain is an injury (partial tear) that damages the
internal structure of the muscle. The tearing may be so small
that one could only see it with a microscope. However, the
tearing could be severe enough to cause internal bleeding and
cause some muscle fibers to lengthen. If the damaged parts of
the muscle actually pull away from each other, it is called a
muscle rupture. A muscle strain is caused by tension or stress
applied to the muscle that it cannot withstand. There are
several ways that this can happen: - Muscle may not be ready for
sudden stress - Tension may be too much for the muscle to bear
(such as, lifting a weight that is too heavy for you) - Muscle
is used too much on a certain day Certain areas have muscles
that are more likely to be strained than others including:
Muscles that cross two joints are at risk. A risk factor is
something that increases your chance of getting a disease or
condition. Risk factors for a muscle strain include: - Athletic
activities, especially those with runni