Abstract
Muscle lesions, a high percentage of all acute sports injuries, are frequent in high-demand athletes. Hamstrings, rectus femoris, and medial head of the gastrocnemius are the most commonly involved. They all contain a great percentage of type II fibers, a pennate architecture, and cross two joints and are injured during the eccentric phase of muscle contraction. This chapter describes pathophysiology of acute muscle injuries and, specifically, acute strains. These lesions have a significant impact on the athletes and their teams, but it is often difficult to predict short-term outcome and long-term prognosis. Predisposing factors and mechanisms of injury are described, and a new model of classification is showed. The object is to aid in the prevention, proper diagnosis, and management of these lesions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
Suggested Reading
Askling CM, Tengvar M, Saartok T, Thorstensson A (2007) Acute first-time hamstring strains during high-speed running: a longitudinal study including clinical and magnetic resonance imaging findings. Am J Sports Med 35:197–206
Bach BR Jr, Warren RF, Wickiewicz TL (1987) Triceps rupture. A case report and literature review. Am J Sports Med 15:285–289
Best TM (1995) Muscle-tendon injuries in young athletes. Clin Sports Med 14:669–686
Chan O, Del Buono A, Best TM, Maffulli N (2012) Acute muscle strain injuries: a proposed new classification system. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 20:2356–2362
Crisco JJ, Jokl P, Heinen GT, Connell MD, Panjabi MM (1994) A muscle contusion injury model. Biomechanics, physiology, and histology. Am J Sports Med 22:702–710
El-Khoury GY, Brandser EA, Kathol MH, Tearse DS, Callaghan JJ (1996) Imaging of muscle injuries. Skeletal Radiol 25:3–11
Friden J, Sjostrom M, Ekblom B (1983) Myofibrillar damage following intense eccentric exercise in man. Int J Sports Med 4:170–176
Garrett WE (1990) Jr. Muscle strain injuries: clinical and basic aspects. Med Sci Sports Exerc 22:436–443
Garrett WE (1996) Muscle strain injuries. Am J Sports Med 24:S2–S8
Garrett WE Jr, Rich FR, Nikolaou PK, Vogler JB 3rd (1989) Computed tomography of hamstring muscle strains. Med Sci Sports Exerc 21:506–514
Jarvinen MJ, Lehto MU (1993) The effects of early mobilisation and immobilisation on the healing process following muscle injuries. Sports Med 15:78–89
Jarvinen TA, Jarvinen TL, Kaariainen M, Kalimo H, Jarvinen M (2005) Muscle injuries: biology and treatment. Am J Sports Med 33:745–764
Kneeland JP (1997) MR imaging of muscle and tendon injury. Eur J Radiol 25:198–208
Koh ES, McNally EG (2007) Ultrasound of skeletal muscle injury. Semin Musculoskelet Radiol 11:162–173
Koulouris G, Connell D (2005) Hamstring muscle complex: an imaging review. Radiographics 25:571–586
Lee JC, Healy J (2004) Sonography of lower limb muscle injury. AJR Am J Roentgenol 182:341–351
Malliaropoulos N, Isinkaye T, Tsitas K, Maffulli N (2011) Reinjury after acute posterior thigh muscle injuries in elite track and field athletes. Am J Sports Med 39:304–310
Nikolaou PK, Macdonald BL, Glisson RR, Seaber AV, Garrett WE (1987) Biomechanical and histological evaluation of muscle after controlled strain injury. Am J Sports Med 15:9–14
Noonan TJ, Best TM, Seaber AV, Garrett WE (1993) Thermal effects on skeletal muscle tensile behavior. Am J Sports Med 21:517–522
Page P (1995) Pathophysiology of acute exercise-induced muscular injury: clinical implications. J Athl Train 30:29–34
Stauber WT (1989) Eccentric action of muscles: physiology, injury, and adaptation. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 17:157–185
Strickler T, Malone T, Garrett WE (1990) The effects of passive warming on muscle injury. Am J Sports Med 18:141–145
Taylor DC, Dalton JD Jr, Seaber AV, Garrett WE (1993) Experimental muscle strain injury. Early functional and structural deficits and the increased risk for reinjury. Am J Sports Med 21:190–194
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Maffulli, N., Del Buono, A., Silvestri, E. (2015). Muscle Injuries: Pathophysiology and New Classification Models. In: Ultrasound Anatomy of Lower Limb Muscles. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09480-9_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09480-9_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-09479-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-09480-9
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)