• Question: What happens when you pull a muscle?

    Asked by 08aglover to Ailsa, Evan, James, Kath, Ryan on 16 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Ailsa Powell

      Ailsa Powell answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      Muscles are made up of lots and lots of long fibres and when you pull muscle it’s because some of those fibres have been torn. As you might know they don’t take too long to repair themselves though. You can tear muscles by not warming up properly before exercise.
      Hope that answers your question 🙂

    • Photo: Kath O'Reilly

      Kath O'Reilly answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      It hurts! Yes, Ailsa’s answer is what really happens. But, also, to build up muscle you need to exercise harder than you usuallly do. Then you feel ‘achy’. And that is your muscles telling you they want a rest, so that they can repair themselves.

    • Photo: Ryan Ladd

      Ryan Ladd answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      I’m not an expert but this is what I think happens! Muscles are made up of many fibres – you could imagine a muscle as a bundle of elastic bands. Just like an elastic band, muscle fibres can only stretch so far, when you pull a muscle it hurts because some of these fibres have snapped!

      These types of injury usually heal quite quickly and easily though. Athletes and body builders are always breaking small numbers of muscle fibres and replacing them with even more and stronger fibres, which is why their muscles get bigger!

    • Photo: Evan Keane

      Evan Keane answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      Ailsa’s answer is spot on. I’ve played lots of sport in my time and have pulled, torn and severed many muscles, tendons and ligaments. It hurts! It happens even when you warm up properly – I know, as I always warm up properly cause I don’t want to get injured! 🙂

      Oh ya, but despite injuries doing sport is totally worth it. It is good for your body and your mind. I’m sure the other scis would agree!
      🙂

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