Muscle tear

Common signs

• Sharp, sudden pain during effort, like a stab
• Having to stop the effort, unable to put your foot on the ground
• A snap is sometimes heard
• Swelling, and a bruise (haematoma) when the injury is more serious
• A hollow or a lump in the muscle in case of rupture

What physiotherapy does

For a small tear, massage and rehabilitation can start a few days after the injury. For a more serious injury, the physiotherapist may use ultrasound, cold or hydrotherapy, then, later, get the muscle used to effort again and strengthen it. They check that each treatment is well tolerated. Going back to sport is done on medical advice, once healing is complete.

Techniques used at the practice

Therapeutic massage adapted to the stage of healing, manual therapy, progressive mobilisations, pain-relieving electrotherapy, concentric and eccentric muscle strengthening, proprioceptive exercises and neuromuscular control, athletic reconditioning and retraining of sports movements.

How the sessions go

An initial assessment of pain, mobility and muscle strength, followed by progressive rehabilitation adapted to healing and to functional abilities.

Advice

Adapt your efforts, avoid excessive strain and gradually return to sports activities once muscle and functional abilities have recovered.

Sources

1. Comprendre la déchirure musculaire (new tab)Assurance Maladie (ameli.fr), accessed October 26, 2026
2. Déchirure musculaire : que faire et quel bilan médical ? (new tab)Assurance Maladie (ameli.fr), accessed October 26, 2026
3. Déchirure musculaire : traitement, évolution, prévention (new tab)Assurance Maladie (ameli.fr), accessed October 26, 2026

Page reviewed on October 30, 2026