Quadriceps Strain
This is a significant stretch or tear of the muscle fibers in the quadriceps, which is the large muscle at the front of the thigh.
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Synonyms for calf strain:
- Muscle tear
- Muscle strain
- Myo-aponeurotic lesion
What is a quadriceps strain?
This is a significant stretch or tear of the muscle fibers in the quadriceps, which is the large muscle at the front of the thigh.
What are the causes of a quadriceps strain?
A strain occurs when there is a significant force from a contraction or overstretching of the muscles. This can be caused by:
- A rapid change of direction while playing a sport
- A rapid and sudden movement of the hip or leg (like a soccer kick)
- A jump
- Rapid acceleration while running (such as when starting a sprint)
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What are the risk factors for developing a quadriceps strain?
- Having had a previous quadriceps injury
- Athletes who play sports involving running, such as:
- Soccer, rugby, and football
What are the symptoms of a quadriceps strain?
The symptoms are:
- Sharp and sudden pain in the front of the thigh that appears immediately at the time of the injury (feeling like a stab)
- The pain may radiate down the front of the thigh to the knee
- The pain is often increased by:
- Walking (worse with large steps)
- Getting in or out of the car
- Raising your leg to put on socks or pants
There may or may not be bruising on the inside of the thigh.
If the pain has appeared gradually without a specific incident, it is not a strain.
How is a quadriceps strain diagnosed?
Diagnosis is possible based on the history of symptoms and a clinical examination.
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When should you see a physiotherapist for a quadriceps strain?
You should consult a physiotherapist if you have symptoms as described above or if your doctor has already ruled out any other cause that may be responsible for your pain.
You do not need to see a doctor before consulting a physiotherapist. If your condition requires you to see a doctor, your physiotherapist will be able to tell you.
What physiotherapy treatments are available for a quadriceps strain?
As with all traumatic injuries, we must let the body do its natural healing work.
"Inflammation is a normal and necessary process for proper healing. There is therefore no miracle way to speed up healing."
However, it is very important to make sure to eliminate all factors that could slow down healing. Here are some examples of things that could slow down healing:
- Worries or fears related to the injury or pain
- Improper dosage of exercises and daily activities
- Poor biomechanics of your movements
- Stiffness in the joints or muscles
"That's why your physiotherapist can help you optimize the healing of the injury. Your physio will guide you in the best possible direction to ensure that the injury heals effectively."
Think of healing from a traumatic injury like taking care of a plant. Pulling on the plant won't make it grow faster. However, you can make sure it gets enough water, sunlight, and fertilizer. We want to put the plant in a good environment to heal. It's the same for a traumatic injury.
Your physiotherapist will perform an assessment to determine your limitations and the severity of the injury by evaluating the following elements:
- Your joint mobility
- The gliding of your nerves
- The quality of your movements
- Your strength and stability
Based on the assessment results, your physiotherapist will:
- Mobilize your joints and nerves to reduce pain and improve your movement
- Give you specific exercises to re-educate the control of your joint movements.
- Give you exercises to regain mobility, reduce pain and regain your muscle strength.
- Teach you how to properly manage your daily activities and hobbies to optimize healing
- Give you advice for your posture and movements.
What can you do at home for a quadriceps strain?
As with any traumatic injury, you should follow the PEACE and LOVE principles. Read the blog post on PEACE and LOVE (coming soon), and then read the advice here that applies to quadriceps strains.
PEACE and LOVE advice specific to quadriceps strains:
(Make sure you have read the blog post that explains the PEACE and LOVE steps in detail beforehand).
For C = Compression:
Use a compression bandage or taping to wrap around your thigh.
For L = Load:
- Start walking and putting weight on the leg gradually without significantly increasing the pain.
- Wait until you no longer limp before increasing the duration of your walks.
- From the 2nd day after the injury, you can start contracting the painful muscle with a pain level of 4/10 or less if you respect the following:
- Pain after exercise decreases in less than 30 minutes
- During exercise, there are no leg cramps or sudden sharp pain
- The next day, you should be able to do the same exercise again
For V = Vascularisation:
Light to moderate pain-free cardio activity speeds up recovery. For a quadriceps strain, you can therefore:
- Do stationary cycling without pain
- Swim without pain
If you don't see any improvement after 10 days, you should consult a physiotherapist.
If you are a runner, please refer to the blog post on running (link to come) for practical tips for running.
Sources
- Poudel B, Pandey S. Hamstring Injury. StatPearls [Internet]. 2020 Jun 3.
- Thorborg, K. (2020). Prevention and Rehabilitation of Hamstring Injuries. Springer.
- Ernlund L, de Almeida Vieira L. Hamstring injuries: update article. Revista Brasileira de Ortopedia (English Edition). 2017 Jun 1;52(4):373-82.
- Dubois B, Esculier JF. Soft-tissue injuries simply need PEACE and LOVE.
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