When someone talks about a torn muscle, they are actually referring to a very serious strain to the muscle--the muscle contracts beyond its normal capacity and causes the fibers to rip or split. This rip may be slight or significant, but it will always bring some uncomfortable signs and symptoms.
Pain
The most common symptom of a torn muscle involves a certain level of pain within the area of injury. This level will be based on the significance of the tear. For some people, only a portion of the muscle will separate, bringing with it a moderate amount of pain. For others, the entire muscle will actually rupture, causing more severe and intense pain.
Audible Noise
You may also, especially with more considerable tears, hear a sound at the moment of injury. In this situation, the tear produces what is best described as a pop or a snap. As soon as the snap is heard, the individual would almost simultaneously experience an abrupt, shooting pain in the area of injury.
Swelling
Following the pain (and possibly the pop or snap), most people will begin to notice some swelling within the area of the tear. When a muscle sustains any sort of separation, a greater amount of blood will travel to this area in an attempt to help heal the injury. This causes the muscle to become engorged and inflamed. As the blood continues to travel to the location, it can create a marked swelling within the region.
Bruising
For most people, a muscle tear is often accompanied by bruising. This is largely due to the damage the blood vessels suffer at the moment of the tear. As soon as the tear occurs, blood will begin to seep from the damaged blood vessels. This blood will begin to pool under the skin, causing the formation of a bruise just above the area of injury.
Weakness
Much like the symptom of pain, weakness will be based on the significance of the tear. When someone sustains a tear within the muscle, it is possible for just a small portion, a large portion, or the entirety of the fibers to separate from one another. This dictates the amount of weakness a person will experience, running from a moderate loss in strength to complete muscle failure.
Immobility
In fairly significant muscle tears, it is also possible to suffer from immobility, even right after the moment of injury. If this happens, it stops a person from moving the area of injury or even bearing any weight on an affected limb.
Stiffness
In more minor tears, a person may suffer a stiffness to the area of injury. With this scenario, the muscle tightens up following the injury, making it difficult to move. However, it may also just limit the range of motion.
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