Common questions about muscles and sports injuries

In most cases, no. Most muscle tears (strains) are mild or moderate and usually improve within a few weeks, with the muscle protected for the first days and then gradual movement and strengthening; severe injuries can take months. Common signs are sudden pain, tenderness, swelling or bruising, and weakness in the muscle. Get medical help the same day if the pain is severe, the swelling is large or growing, or you can only walk a few steps. Go to the emergency department (911 in Jordan, 122 in Iraq and Kurdistan) if you heard a crack at the moment of injury (possible broken bone), the area has changed shape, or it is numb, cold or bluish.

Read more: Sports injuries · Source: NHS — Sprains and strains

Most muscle tears are treated without surgery. For the first two or three days, protect the muscle and cut down activity, use a cold pack wrapped in a cloth and a compression bandage that is snug but not tight, and keep the limb raised; avoid heat and massage, as they can increase swelling. After that, start moving as pain allows so the muscle does not stiffen, then strengthen it gradually. Avoid running and hard sport too early so the injury does not get worse. Surgery is discussed only in a few cases, such as a tendon pulled off the bone, and the decision is the orthopaedic surgeon's.

Read more: Sports injuries · Source: NHS — Sprains and strains · NHS — Hamstring injury

Most hamstring injuries are treated without surgery. In the first days we protect the muscle from strong stretching, then start gentle movement and graded strengthening that builds up to exercises in which the muscle works while lengthening, with a running programme that progresses to full-speed sprinting. Mild injuries usually improve within days or weeks; severe ones can take months. The return to play is not set by time alone but by pain-free sprinting, restored strength, completing full training and confidence in the muscle, because returning too early raises the risk of re-injury. At Revibe we check these criteria with you before you go back.

Read more: Hamstring strain · Source: NHS — Hamstring injury · Paton BM et al. (2023). London International Consensus and Delphi study on hamstring injuries part 3: rehabilitation, running and return to sport. Br J Sports Med 57(5):278–291

It usually happens while sprinting, jumping or kicking a ball: a sudden pain at the front of the thigh, sometimes followed by swelling, weakness and less movement at the knee, and most heal without surgery. For the first two days, cut down walking while moving the leg gently, use a cold pack wrapped in a cloth, keep the leg raised, and avoid heat, massage and stretching at first; graded strengthening then builds up to running and your sport's movements. It usually heals within about two months, but this varies with the severity of the tear, and your physiotherapist can estimate it. If you cannot straighten your knee or notice a gap above the kneecap, the tendon may be torn: see a doctor the same day.

Read more: Sports injuries · Source: Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust — Emergency and Urgent Care: Thigh Injury – Quadriceps (patient leaflet) · AAOS OrthoInfo — Quadriceps Tendon Tear

The adductors are the muscles on the inner side of the thigh, and they are usually injured in sports with kicking, twisting and sudden changes of direction, such as football. Signs include pain high on the inner thigh or in the groin, pain when you squeeze your legs together or press on the muscle, and sometimes mild swelling or bruising. For the first two days, ease off what makes the pain worse and use a cold pack wrapped in a cloth, then start gentle exercises that build up to strengthening. A minor strain may get better within a couple of weeks and a severe one may take a few months; it varies, and your physiotherapist can estimate the time after an assessment.

Read more: Sports injuries · Source: Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust — Groin strain

Usually not. A cramp is a sudden, painful tightening of a muscle, often in the calf, that lasts from a few seconds to about ten minutes and then goes, though the muscle can stay sore for up to a day. See a doctor if cramps keep coming back and disturb your sleep, last longer than ten minutes, come with numbness, or come with a fever, dizziness or feeling generally unwell. If one calf swells and stays painful, especially with redness, it may be a blood clot: see a doctor the same day. Severe muscle pain with weakness and very dark urine after hard exercise needs the emergency department straight away (911 in Jordan, 122 in Iraq and Kurdistan).

Read more: Muscle knots and tension · Source: NHS — Leg cramps · healthdirect Australia — Rhabdomyolysis

A strained chest-wall muscle is a problem in the muscle itself, not the heart, but it can make deep breaths painful; it usually starts after effort or chest exercise and eases when you rest the muscle. Even so, never assume chest pain is muscular: call an ambulance straight away (911 in Jordan, 122 in Iraq and Kurdistan) if the pain is sudden and does not go away, spreads to the arm, neck, jaw, back or stomach, or comes with sweating, feeling sick, light-headedness or shortness of breath. If the pain comes and goes, see a doctor soon, and if you are unsure, call an ambulance.

Source: NHS — Chest pain

Night-time leg cramps are common and often have no clear cause; they become more likely with age, late pregnancy and after exertion, and with dehydration and some medicines. There is no strong evidence that magnesium prevents them: a review found that magnesium supplements are unlikely to reduce cramps in older adults, and the evidence in pregnancy is conflicting, so take them only after talking to your doctor, who decides whether you need tests. Regular calf stretching, especially before bed, may help. See a doctor if cramps disturb your sleep or come with numbness or swelling.

Read more: Muscle knots and tension · Source: NHS — Leg cramps · Garrison SR et al. (2020). Magnesium for skeletal muscle cramps. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 9:CD009402

During a cramp, gently stretch and massage the muscle: for a calf cramp, pull your toes towards you with the leg straight, or stand and put your weight on that leg. The muscle may stay a little sore for up to a day, which is common. But if one calf swells and the pain stays despite stretching, especially with redness, it may be a blood clot: see a doctor the same day. Do not rely on herbs, supplements or medicines without asking a doctor or pharmacist. To prevent cramps, regular calf stretching may help. If your 'tightness' is ongoing stiffness in the neck or back rather than a short cramp, it is better to have the cause assessed and work on movement and exercise.

Read more: Muscle knots and tension · Source: NHS — Leg cramps · NHS — DVT (deep vein thrombosis)

There are two different things. A cramp during or straight after exercise is usually linked to exertion and is more likely in hot weather: stop, then gently stretch and massage the muscle. Aching and stiffness that appear the next day are common after new or harder-than-usual exercise and ease gradually. A review found massage to be one of the most helpful ways to reduce this soreness and the feeling of fatigue, while stretching showed no clear benefit for it. Sudden sharp pain during exercise with swelling or bruising may be a tear and needs an assessment.

Read more: Sports massage, Sports injuries · Source: Dupuy O et al. (2018). An Evidence-Based Approach for Choosing Post-exercise Recovery Techniques to Reduce Markers of Muscle Damage, Soreness, Fatigue, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. Front Physiol 9:403 · NHS — Leg cramps

Usually not. A muscle knot is a tight, tender area inside a muscle; knots are very common in the neck, shoulders and back and usually do not mean the muscle is damaged. Recent ones often settle on their own or with simple steps such as movement, stretching and warmth, but they can drag on if the causes, such as long sitting or extra load, remain. A distinct lump is a different matter: see a doctor if it keeps growing, is hard and does not move, is painful, red or hot, or lasts more than two weeks.

Read more: Muscle knots and tension · Source: Dua A, Chang KV (2025). Myofascial Pain Syndrome. StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf · NHS — Lumps

A muscle knot is not a real knot but a tight band or spot inside a muscle that hurts when pressed, and its pain can spread to a nearby area, such as a headache that starts in the neck muscles. So yes, knots can be painful, and they can cause stiffness that limits movement. Their exact cause is still not fully understood, but they are often linked to overloading a muscle through overuse or too little movement, and to long static postures. Doctors call this myofascial pain, and it is usually diagnosed by examination rather than scans.

Read more: Muscle knots and tension · Source: Dua A, Chang KV (2025). Myofascial Pain Syndrome. StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf

Knots can send pain to a nearby area and cause a feeling of heaviness or tightness, but true numbness is rarely a feature of muscle pain. If you have numbness or tingling running along an arm or leg, or weakness, the cause may be an irritated nerve in the neck, back or wrist, and it needs an assessment. See a doctor if the pins and needles keep coming back or do not go away. Go to the emergency department straight away (911 in Jordan, 122 in Iraq and Kurdistan) if you suddenly get numbness or weakness on one side of the face or body, or trouble speaking.

Read more: Muscle knots and tension, Neck disc and pinched nerve · Source: Dua A, Chang KV (2025). Myofascial Pain Syndrome. StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf · NHS — Pins and needles

Movement usually helps more than long rest: gentle stretching, gradual strengthening of the tired muscles, regular activity such as walking, and short breaks to change position during long sitting; a warm pack may ease the tightness for a while. Release of muscle knots and manual therapy may ease pain for a while, and a review suggests dry needling may reduce it in the short term, although evidence of long-term benefit is lacking, so these techniques are used within a plan that includes exercise, not on their own. At Revibe we start by assessing what keeps the tightness going, such as long sitting or extra load, then build the plan with you.

Read more: Muscle knots and tension, Dry needling · Source: Dua A, Chang KV (2025). Myofascial Pain Syndrome. StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf · Gattie E, Cleland JA, Snodgrass S (2017). The effectiveness of trigger point dry needling for musculoskeletal conditions by physical therapists: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 47(3):133–149

It may help, but not by 'breaking up' the knot: a knot is not a deposit of salts but a tight, tender area of muscle. Massage and sustained pressure on the sore spot may ease pain and tightness for a while, and a review suggests that this kind of pressure may reduce pain and improve neck movement. It is usually used together with movement, stretching, strengthening and changes to what overloads the muscle in your day, not instead of them. Massage should not be very painful, and it is postponed on a fresh, swollen injury.

Read more: Sports massage, Muscle knots and tension · Source: Cagnie B et al. (2015). Evidence for the Use of Ischemic Compression and Dry Needling in the Management of Trigger Points of the Upper Trapezius in Patients with Neck Pain: A Systematic Review. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 94(7):573–583 · Dua A, Chang KV (2025). Myofascial Pain Syndrome. StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf

There is no strong evidence that it does. Some people find cupping relaxing and feel less muscle tightness for a short time, but most research on it is of low quality and not enough to say it releases or treats knots. The stronger evidence for muscle pain is for movement and exercise with manual therapy. That is why at Revibe we use cupping only when it is useful as part of a plan that includes movement and exercise. It can leave round marks on the skin that usually fade within days; tell us beforehand if you take blood thinners.

Read more: Cupping, Muscle knots and tension · Source: NCCIH (US National Institutes of Health) — Cupping · Dua A, Chang KV (2025). Myofascial Pain Syndrome. StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf

Usually not. Tension-type headache is one of the most common kinds of headache: a pressing or tight, band-like feeling on both sides of the head, mild to moderate, that is not made worse by everyday activity and is not usually a sign of another condition. But go to the emergency department straight away (911 in Jordan, 122 in Iraq and Kurdistan) if a headache starts suddenly and is extremely painful, follows a head injury, comes with a very high temperature and a stiff neck, or comes with trouble speaking or seeing, weakness or numbness, confusion or severe drowsiness.

Read more: Neck tension headache · Source: NHS — Tension headaches · NICE CG150 — Headaches in over 12s: diagnosis and management

A tension-type headache usually feels like pressure or tightness on both sides of the head, may spread to the face or neck, and the scalp may feel tender to touch. It lasts from half an hour to, sometimes, several days. It does not usually cause nausea, vomiting or dizziness; if you feel sick, light and noise bother you, or the pain throbs on one side, it may be another type such as migraine, so see a doctor. If the headache comes with numbness or weakness in an arm or leg, get medical help the same day, and go to the emergency department straight away if it starts suddenly (911 in Jordan, 122 in Iraq and Kurdistan).

Read more: Neck tension headache · Source: NHS — Tension headaches · NICE CG150 — Headaches in over 12s: diagnosis and management

It can become chronic: doctors use that term when it happens on fifteen or more days a month for more than three months, and it then needs a doctor's assessment; keeping a headache diary can help. It may ease with better sleep, less stress and caffeine, regular exercise and relaxation, and a warm or cold pack on a sore neck. Be aware that taking painkillers very often can itself make headaches worse, and medicines and preventive treatment are for your doctor to decide. Do not rely on herbs without asking your doctor. If the headache is linked to neck pain, a physiotherapy assessment may help.

Read more: Neck tension headache · Source: NICE CG150 — Headaches in over 12s: diagnosis and management · NHS — Tension headaches

In most cases, no. Tendonitis means pain in a tendon that gets worse with movement, sometimes with stiffness or swelling, and it is often linked to extra load or repeated movement. A mild tendon injury usually improves within two to three weeks with less of the activity that strains it, then a gradual return to movement. Specialists now prefer the term 'tendinopathy' for persistent tendon pain related to load. See a doctor the same day if you have sudden severe pain with a pop and clear weakness (possible tear), or if the area is red, hot and swollen with a fever.

Read more: Achilles tendon pain, Tennis elbow · Source: NHS — Tendonitis · Scott A et al. (2020). ICON 2019: International Scientific Tendinopathy Symposium Consensus: Clinical Terminology. Br J Sports Med 54(5):260–262

The most common symptoms are pain in the tendon that gets worse with movement, difficulty moving the nearby joint, and sometimes a grating or crackling feeling as the tendon moves. There may be swelling, sometimes with warmth or redness. It often affects tendons at the shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee or heel. Numbness and tingling are not usual symptoms; they more often point to an irritated nerve, as in carpal tunnel syndrome, and need an assessment. If redness and heat get worse and you have a fever, see a doctor the same day.

Read more: Carpal tunnel, De Quervain’s tenosynovitis · Source: NHS — Tendonitis · NHS — Pins and needles

Yes, and usually without surgery. Mild cases often improve within a few weeks by easing off the straining activity for a few days, using a cold pack, then getting moving again as soon as pain allows. Pain can last longer, especially if the extra load continues, and become long-standing. Treatment then usually builds on graded loading exercises that strengthen the tendon, as guidelines for the Achilles tendon recommend, for example, with activities adjusted for a while rather than stopped completely. Injections and surgery are for the doctor to decide and are considered for the few cases that do not improve with physiotherapy.

Read more: Achilles tendon pain, Tennis elbow · Source: NHS — Tendonitis · Chimenti RL et al. (2024). Achilles Pain, Stiffness, and Muscle Power Deficits: Midportion Achilles Tendinopathy Revision – 2024 — Clinical Practice Guidelines. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 54(12):CPG1–CPG32

A complete tendon tear is a serious injury that needs a medical assessment the same day, for example in the emergency department: sudden pain, sometimes a pop, then clear weakness, such as difficulty standing on tiptoe with a torn Achilles tendon. It does not always mean surgery; with the Achilles tendon, for example, many people are treated with a cast, then a special boot and physiotherapy, while surgery is chosen for certain cases, and the orthopaedic team decides with you. Surgery for tendonitis is rarely needed, usually only after physiotherapy has not helped, and the surgeon explains its benefits and risks. Either way, graded rehabilitation remains the basis of recovery.

Read more: Achilles tendon pain, Rotator cuff tear · Source: NHS Fife — Achilles tendon rupture (patient information) · NHS — Tendonitis

Its exact cause is not known, but it is not 'imaginary' or purely psychological: the pain is real, although stress, mood and sleep affect it. Fibromyalgia is a long-term condition that causes widespread pain with tiredness and poor sleep. It is thought to involve changes in how the nervous system processes pain signals, some inherited genes may make it more likely, and it can start after an injury, an infection or stress. It is not linked to inflammatory arthritis and does not cause lasting damage to the body's tissues, but its symptoms can resemble other conditions, including immune diseases, and there is no single test for it, so a doctor checks for other causes.

Source: NHS — Fibromyalgia · Versus Arthritis — Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is not life-threatening and does not damage the body, but it can affect daily life a lot, and its symptoms can get better and worse. It is not known to harm the heart or lungs. So do not put any new symptom down to it before a doctor has assessed it: chest pain, sudden shortness of breath, or pain spreading to the arm or jaw needs an ambulance straight away (911 in Jordan, 122 in Iraq and Kurdistan). Also see a doctor if you develop muscle weakness, a fever, unexplained weight loss or swollen joints.

Source: NELFT NHS Foundation Trust — Fibromyalgia · NHS — Fibromyalgia

It is usually a long-term condition and there is no treatment yet that ends it, but its symptoms can be eased. European guidelines recommend starting with understanding the condition and non-drug treatments, and exercise is their strongest recommendation: aerobic activity such as walking or swimming with flexibility exercises, starting gently and building up gradually as you can manage. Talking therapies and relaxation techniques may help, and medicines are for your doctor to decide. At Revibe we build a graded exercise programme with you after an assessment.

Read more: Your first session · Source: Macfarlane GJ et al. (2017). EULAR revised recommendations for the management of fibromyalgia. Ann Rheum Dis 76(2):318–328 · NHS — Fibromyalgia