Current treatment concepts for muscular injuries

Muscular lesions represent the most common form of sports injury. The four large muscle groups hamstrings, adductors, gastrocnemius and knee extensor muscles are most often affected. Most injuries occur during excentric tension impact. Diagnostics begin with an exact medical history and detailed clinical investigations. Imaging with ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are important to differentiate between structural lesions and functional disorders and to determine the extent of the injury. Most frequently treatment remains conservative and is oriented to the three phases of the healing process. In most cases (leisure sports) the rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE) concept with subsequent pain-adapted load increase suffices for a return to sport activities. Infiltration therapy including platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an additional therapy option but should not be used to accelerate the healing process. Surgical treatment only rarely becomes necessary for treatment of muscular injuries.