Strain (injury)

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This article is about the injury. For other meanings, see strain.

A strain is an injury which occurs to a muscle in which the muscle fibers tear as a result of overstretching. Strains are also colloquially known as pulled muscles. The equivalent injury to a ligament is a sprain.

Typical symptoms of a strain include localized pain, stiffness, swelling, inflammation, and bruising around the strained muscle.

Strains can happen to anyone and are certainly not restricted to athletes; people have strained muscles pulling on trousers. Nevertheless, people who play sports are more at risk of developing a strain.

Whiplash is a specific type of strain AND sprain injury to the neck and upper back. One can suffer with whiplash symptoms for many years after a serious car accident. [1]. The seriousness of a whiplash injury can never be underestimated; no matter how insignificant the collision seems to be.