Management of Corked Muscles

Monday, August 17, 2020

You might have heard of, or felt, a cork thigh, corky, dead leg, charley horse, corked quad? These are all referring to one and the same injury, technically called a muscle contusion. This bruising of the muscle can often cause more damage than you might expect and these injuries should be treated with respect. Luckily a physiotherapist will be able to help with diagnosis and treatment.

Engadine Physio Cork

What Causes a Corky?

A corked thigh is very common in contact sports. In simple terms, your muscles are usually “kneed” by an opponent during a tackle or similar. The muscle is crumpled up against the thigh bone. The impact to the muscle causes significant bruising and bleeding.

Engadine Physio Cork Thigh

What are the Symptoms of a Corked Leg?

Grade 1 is presented as:

  • Tightness of the muscle
  • Unable to walk properly
  • Probably not much swelling
  • Trying to straighten the knee against resistance probably won't produce much pain
  • Lying on front and bending the knee should allow you to nearly have full range of motion

Grade 2:

  • Probably cannot walk properly
  • Occasional sudden twinges of pain during activity
  • Possible swelling
  • Tender when touching it
  • Straightening the knee against resistance causes pain
  • Unable to fully bend the knee

Grade 3:

  • You will be unable to walk properly without aid or crutches
  • You will be in severe pain
  • You will have bad swelling which appears immediately

Diagnosis

Your Engadine physiotherapist is able to differentiate the type of contusion using manual tests.

Intramuscular Contusion

  • Initial bleeding may stop early (within few hours) because of increase pressure of the muscle
  • Result is considerable loss of function, pain and power
  • Can take days or weeks to recover

Intermuscular Contusion

  • Initial bleeding will take longer to stop especially when you do not ice it
  • Recovery is faster
  • More likely to see bruising come out

An ultrasound scan is often the most helpful investigation to confirm the type of contusion. MRI scan may also be useful.

What is the Treatment for a cork?

Physiotherapy

  • Pain relief & inflammation control
  • Anti-inflammatory medications
  • Hot and cold treatments
  • Avoid activities and positions that can stretch or irritate the sight of injury
  • Series of exercises to help restore functionality, high speed, power, proprioception and agility
  • Series of exercises to restore muscle function and control through the joint

Our team of physiotherapists can help get you back on track to move better and live a life with less limits. Get in touch!

 

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