What results from overstretching and tearing a muscle or tendon?

When a muscle or tendon is overstretched and torn, it leads to what is known as a strain. Strains occur when the fibers of a muscle or tendon are damaged, often resulting in pain, swelling, and limited mobility. These injuries typically happen during physical activities that involve sudden movements, heavy lifting, or a lack of proper warm-up and stretching.

In contrast, sprains refer to injuries to ligaments, which are the tissues connecting bones to one another, not muscles or tendons. Cramps are involuntary muscle contractions that cause pain but do not involve tearing of muscle or tendon tissue, and tears can be a general term but are not specifically defined as strains unless they are categorized by the extent of the injury. Therefore, strains accurately describes the specific injury caused by overstretching and tearing of muscle or tendon tissue.