What is a quadriceps muscle strain?
A sudden tear in the quadriceps muscle, which occurs in the thigh region, causes Quadriceps Muscle Strain. It can happen when a muscle is overstressed, as in the event of sudden contraction and extension, producing a number of thigh muscle tears. Quadriceps muscle strains usually occur when anyone sprints, jumps, or kicks. All of the quadriceps muscles are susceptible to strain, but the rectus femoris is more susceptible to injury because it crosses the hip and knee joints. The rectus femoris’s distal musculotendinous junction is the most frequently stressed region. During severe physical activity, complete tears of the rectus femoris may cause sudden pain and disability.
Quadriceps Muscle Anatomy
The group of muscles at the front of your thigh are known as the quadriceps femoris. It contains four quadriceps muscles, which are:
- 1.Rectus femoris
Origion: 1. straight head from the upper half of the anterior inferior iliac spine; 2. reflected head from the groove above the margin of the acetabulum and the capsule of the hip joint.
Insertion : Base of the patella.
- 2. Vastus lateralis
Origion: anterior and inferior borders of greater trochanter; lateral lip of gluteal tuberosity.
Insertion : Upper one-third of the lateral border of patella.
- 3. Vastus medialis
Origion : Lower part of intertrochanteric line, medial lip of linea aspera.
Insertion : Medial one-third of the base and upper two-thirds of the medial border of the patella.
- 4. Vastus intermedius
Origion : Upper three-fourths of the anterior and lateral surfaces of the shaft of femur.
Insertion : Base of patella
Epidemiology:
- Athletes who participate in sports that demand explosive movements frequently sustain quadriceps injuries, which are typically caused by muscle strains.
- The muscle most frequently injured in quadriceps injuries is the rectus femoris.
- Type II fiber ratios, complex musculotendinous architecture, and crossing two joints are among the risk factors for rectus femoris.
- The most frequent injury to the vastus muscle is a contusion, whereas injuries to the vast intermedius muscle are more frequent.
- Quadriceps tendon ruptures are a rare and dangerous diagnosis that primarily affects older men.
Function of Quadriceps Muscle
- knee joint extensor
- Hip joint flexor.
- knee joint extension, which helps standing, walking, and running.
- knee joint extension and patella lateral displacement prevention
Quadriceps Muscle Strain Grades
- Grade 1: A mild injury known as a strain can happen during both resisted active contraction and passive stretching. A noticeable local spaam is present at the site of pain. An athlete suffering from such a strain might not stop exercising right away, but they will typically become aware of the injury the next day or after it has cooled down.
- Grade 2: Moderate, It occurs when a person feels sudden, intense discomfort when running or jogging. Also, this may result in severe discomfort, difficulty bending the knees, and quadriceps pain and swelling.
- Grade 3 severe, complete tears, usually remember that the incidentmight not be able to prevent bleeding or swelling from occurring rapidly. severe motion loss (50%).Having difficulty with FWB. Substantial tender (tracking). significant bleeding decrease of strength in function.
Causes of Quadriceps Strain
- One of the most common forms in which injuries occur is from physical activity; a rapid blow to the body or the sudden contraction and expansion of muscles can strain and injure them. High-performance athletes like marathon runners and players of other high-contact sports may be responsible for this.
- It can happen when a muscle is overstressed.
- Additional contributing factors include carrying heavy objects, applying tension to the quadriceps muscles, and coming into contact with outside elements like impacts and falls.
Clinical Features of Quadriceps Strain
- Tenderness over the anterior thigh.
- In cases of severe strain, bruising and swelling are present.
- Local pain is present.
- Local spasms are present in the affected area.
- pain during physical activity like kicking and running.
- A severe pain when pressing on the thighs and feet, or when one makes contact with the thigh, is indication of a torn muscle.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis depends on the mechanism of injury, severity of present symptoms, physical examination, and investigation.
- Mechanism of injury
During sprinting, running, jumping, and kicks, the player felt sudden jerks, tears, pain, and discomfort. Acute muscle stretching, usually associated with intense contractions or repetitive functional overloading, is the usual source of this injury.
Physical Examination
- Obaervation
- Bruising from a severe injury
- swelling
- Difficulty in walking
2. Palpation
- Swelling
- spasm
- Tenderness over the anterior thigh.
3. Elys Test for tightness
- It evaluates the rectus femoris’s rigidity or spasticity. When the patient is in a prone position, the therapist stands behind them on the side of the leg that will be examined. By grasping the leg at the heel with the other hand, one hand will be placed on the lower back. Then slowly flex your knee so that your heel touches your buttocks. Test both sides for comparison. If the hip of the tested side rises off the table, the heel cannot touch the buttocks, and the patient has discomfort or tingling in their legs or back, the test is considered positive.
Differantial Diagnosis
- Quadriceps Contusion
Muscle contusions usually occur from direct hits from an opponent player or from hard contact with equipment in collision sports like football, basketball, and hockey. The most probable diagnosis of thigh contusion with resultant hematoma is present if there is evidence of direct trauma to the anterior thigh, Examining the area reveals swelling and tenderness, and passive stretching and active contraction exacerbate the pain. In extreme circumstances, you might be unable to fall asleep due to the pain.
- Myositis ossificans
Occasionally, the hematoma calcifies after an injury to the thigh. In medicine, this condition is known as myositis ossificans. more pain in the morning and when engaging in activities. Pain complaints are most often made at night by patients.
- Compartment syndrome of the thigh
loss of function or restriction of knee movement.
Treatment
Quadriceps strain treatment is mostly conservative, with recovery often achieved through physiotherapy compared to medical or surgical treatments.
Medical Treatment
- Anti-inflammatory drugs and Medication
It helps in pain and swelling reduction. Also, given that it improves blood circulation and reduces pain, it promotes muscle healing.
- Surgical treatment is mostly not required.
Physitherapy Treament
For pain reduction
- RICE protocol
R- Rest
Ice : lessen discomfort and stop more injuries
C. Compression :lessen discomfort and stop more injuries
E : Elevation reduce swelling
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
It is used for reducing pain and swelling because it has the ability to reduce pain and inflammation, and it can also help muscles become stronger.
Pulse ultrasound reduce tenderness and pain through the thermal effects. Enhance healing process.
Range of Motion restores and improves strength
- Static quadriceps muscle exercise Active quadriceps exercises. As can be seen, the first method of inner-range quadriceps strengthening involves placing a rolled towel beneath the knee. Until a painless, full-range quadriceps contraction is achieved, the range will progressively expand based on the symptoms.
- Improve Flexibility
Standing allows the standard quadriceps to stretch. Maintaining adequate pelvic control and preventing forward tilting are crucial during the stretch.
- Strengthening Exercise
Resisted exercise for quadriceps strengthens both concentric and eccentric exercises, including after pain reduction:
Exercises that include both eccentric and concentric movements are performed with gradually increasing resistance. The quadriceps muscle contracts concentrically during knee extension, whereas the quadriceps muscle contracts eccentrically when the foot is lowered from extension.
Quadriceps Muscle Recovery Phase
- Avoid Straight leg raise during early recovery as it exerts more strain on the rectus femoris.
- Avoid weight bearing and sports activity in acute phase.
- Proper warm-up before sports activity and cool-down after activity.
- During off-season sport, imbalances in the muscles (like big quadriceps and atrophic hamstrings) are corrected.
Quadriceps Muscle Prevention
- Avoid weight-bearing activity and strees over the injured area.
- Properly Warm and cool down.
- Elevated physical fitness and resistance training both during and following the season.
- Proper hydrated during workout.
Summary
Quadriceps muscle strains usually occur when anyone sprints, jumps, or kicks. All of the quadriceps muscles are susceptible to strain, but the rectus femoris is more susceptible to injury because it crosses the hip and knee joints. The rectus femoris’s distal musculotendinous junction is the most frequently stressed region. During severe physical activity, complete tears of the rectus femoris may cause sudden pain and disability.
One of the most common forms in which injuries occur is from physical activity; a rapid blow to the body or the sudden contraction and expansion of muscles can strain and injure them. High-performance athletes like marathon runners and players of other high-contact sports may be responsible for this.
Quadriceps strain treatment is mostly conservative, with recovery often achieved through physiotherapy compared to medical or surgical treatments. Physiotherapy treatment includes the RICE protocol, flexibility, and strengthening exercises.
The recovery phase includes avoiding SLR and overpressure over an injured area.
FAQ:
How long does it take for a strained quadriceps to heal?
Most people recover from a mild strain or sprain after resting for a week or two. When you are pain-free and have full range of motion in your leg, your quadriceps will have healed.
How does a strain in the quadriceps feel?
There might be a pop in the problematic area because the muscle fibers are breaking. Muscle pain usually occurs immediately after the strain and may make it difficult to walk or use the affected leg immediately. In the event of an extremely severe strain, you might also notice a dent or gap where the muscle tore in your leg.
Does a quad strain recover by itself?
Most quadriceps injuries heal on their own with rest, ice, and therapeutic exercises.
How can quad strains be prevented?
Preventing quad strains requires a proper warm-up, maintaining flexibility, and correcting muscle imbalances. It’s also essential to remember that unaffected or worn-out muscles are more prone to injury because they can’t handle the physical demands of sports or exercise.
How should my quad strain be treated?
Reducing blood flow to the injured area and avoiding fluid buildup are two benefits of compression. Comfortably raise your leg. Another way to stop collecting fluid and swelling around an injured muscle is to raise your leg above your heart.
Which quadriceps muscle strains the most frequently?
The rectus femoris is the muscle in the quadriceps that is most frequently strained. There are several reasons why this muscle and others are more prone to strain injuries.
Why do people have weak quadriceps?
There are a number of reasons why someone may have quadricep weakness, such as injury, age, imbalances in the muscles, or underlying medical conditions like neurological disorders or arthritis.
References:
- Image 1, Physio, Y. March 15, 2023. Physiotherapy: “Quadriceps Strain.” https://physioyves.com/quad-strain/
- Physiotattva. May 22, 2023. Physiotherapy treatment and diagnosis for quadriceps muscle strain. Visit this link for information on quadriceps muscle strain diagnosis and treatment: https://www.physiotattva.com/blog/
- 2019). & Distributors, CBS Publishers, 2019. Medical anatomy is covered by “BD Chaurasia’s Human Anatomy, Volume 2: Lower Limb, Abdomen, and Pelvis,” a regional and applied dissection handbook.
- Image 2&3, Garg, M. (2007). Clinical Sports Medicine, 3rd Edition. The journal article “Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise,” 39(5), 898, doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000257793.11280.55
- Wilk, Kevin E.; & Brotzman, & N, S. Brent, 2007