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WHAT ARE STRAINS ?

First broadcast on www.provet.co.uk  


This information is provided by Provet for educational purposes only.

You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Strains are common in animals - but what are they ?

Muscles insert on to bones by means of a strong, fibrous tendon. A strain is an injury involving the muscle-tendon or its attachment site on bone. Damage of this type can occur as a result of sudden extension or flexion of the muscle, or due to repeated stretching over a long time. Strain injuries can be mild to severe and common injuries include :

  • Rupture of the tendon
  • The muscle may tear away from the tendon
  • The muscle may tear
  • The insertion of the tendon onto bone may pull away, sometimes with a bit of bone attached causing a so-called "avulsion" fracture of the bone. 

Signs of  a strain are often worse 2-3 days after the initial injury, and include :

  • Pain at the site
  • Lameness
  • Abnormal gait

On Xrays strain injuries can sometimes be recognised by soft tissue swelling, and a avulsed fragment of bone.

Treatment involves rest and sometimes an external support bandage. If the insertion of the tendon has been pulled off the underlying bone this may have to be surgically repaired.

STRAINS are NOT SPRAINS ...CLICK HERE to find out why !

 

Updated October 2013