Logan Steele
The speed at which muscles heal depends on the severity, size and area of injury. The healing process can take several months, but most muscle injuries will feel less sore within 6-10 weeks. The body follows a three-stage process when repairing a torn muscle or tendon. First, it gets rid of damaged cells through an inflammatory response, which usually lasts 1-5 days. Then, the body starts producing new cells to replace the damaged ones. Finally, the new cells must grow strong and realign with the rest of the tissue.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time for muscle injuries to feel less sore | 6-10 weeks |
| Time for healing process to complete | Several months |
| Time for new cells to form | 3-5 days |
| Time for remodelling stage to complete | 4 weeks (minor strains) |
| Time for remodelling stage to complete | Several months (severe strains involving tendons) |
| Time for inflammatory phase | 5 days |
| Time for inflammatory response | 1-3 days |
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What You'll Learn
The inflammatory phase
After the inflammatory phase, the body starts producing new cells. These new cells are still weak and disorganized, so it is important to start gentle movement and strength training to help align and strengthen them. This is a progressive process, and it can take several weeks or even months for the new cells to grow strong and realign with the rest of the tissue.
The remodeling stage starts shortly after the first new cells have formed. For minor strains, this process can be completed within four weeks. However, more severe strains involving the tendon can take many months to complete.
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The remodeling stage
The healing process itself can continue for several months, even after the injured area starts to feel less sore and more functional, which usually happens within six to ten weeks.
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The role of collagen
The healing process for muscles depends on the severity, size and area of injury, but all muscle groups will go through the same general healing pattern.
The body follows a three-stage process when it repairs a torn muscle or tendon. The first stage is an inflammatory response, which usually lasts 1-5 days. During this time, inflammatory cells absorb and remove the damaged cells. The second stage involves the body producing new cells to replace the damaged ones. These new cells are still weak and disorganised, so it is essential to start gentle movement and strength training to help align and strengthen them. The third stage is the remodelling stage, where the new cells must grow strong and realign with the rest of the tissue. This can take several weeks or months, depending on the severity of the injury.
To support the healing process, it is recommended to follow a progressive strength training plan and to avoid taking anti-inflammatory medication, as inflammation plays a key role in healing.
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The importance of rehab exercises
The healing process for muscles varies depending on the severity, size and area of injury. Most muscle injuries will feel less sore and you will feel more functional within 6-10 weeks, but the healing process can continue for several months.
Rehab exercises are important because they help to align and strengthen the new cells that are produced to replace the damaged ones. This process of remodelling starts shortly after the first new cells have formed, and for minor strains, it can finish within 4 weeks. However, more severe strains involving the tendon can take many months to complete this process.
The body follows a 3-stage process when it repairs a torn muscle or tendon. The first stage is an inflammatory response, which usually lasts 1-5 days. During this time, inflammatory cells absorb and remove the damaged cells. The second stage is the production of new cells, which are initially weak and disorganised. It is essential to start gentle movement and strength training at this stage to help align and strengthen the new cells. The third stage is the remodelling stage, where the new cells grow strong and realign with the rest of the tissue.
Because inflammation plays a key role in healing, it is best to avoid taking anti-inflammatory medication when recovering from a pulled muscle. Instead, following the 'Peace & Love' principles during the first 3 days after a muscle strain can help to reduce pain and speed up the healing process.
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The healing process for different muscle groups
The body follows a three-stage process when it repairs a torn muscle or tendon. First, the body has an inflammatory response, which usually lasts 1-5 days. During this time, inflammatory cells absorb and remove the damaged cells. Then, the body starts producing new cells to replace the damaged ones. The new cells are still weak and disorganized, so it is essential to start gentle movement and strength training to help align and strengthen them. The remodelling stage starts shortly after the first new cells have formed, and for minor strains, it can finish within four weeks. More severe strains involving the tendon can take many months to complete this process.
Because tendons have a poorer blood supply than muscle cells, muscle strains that include tendon injuries heal more slowly.
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Frequently asked questions
Most muscle injuries will feel less sore and you will feel more functional within 6-10 weeks, but the healing process continues for several months. The time it takes for muscles to heal depends on the severity, size and area of injury.
The body's first response to a muscle injury is an inflammatory response, which usually lasts 1-3 days. During this time, inflammatory cells absorb and remove the damaged cells.
The body starts producing new cells to replace the damaged ones. These new cells are still weak and disorganised, so it is important to start gentle movement and strength training to help align and strengthen them.
The remodeling stage starts shortly after the first new cells have formed. For minor strains, this can finish within 4 weeks, but more severe strains involving the tendon can take many months to complete.
