Muscle Strain

Symptoms

Symptoms of muscle strain include:

• Muscle pain and tenderness, especially after an activity that stretches or violently contracts the muscle. Pain usually increases when you move the muscle but is relieved by rest.

• Muscle swelling, discoloration or both

• Muscle cramp or spasm

• A decrease in muscle strength or (in Grade III strains) a complete loss of muscle function

• A pop in the muscle at the time of injury

• A gap, dent or other defect in the normal outline of the muscle (in Grade III strain)