MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Muscle bruise

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Muscle bruise

A muscle bruise occurs when a direct blow from an object strikes part of the body, damaging the underlying muscle fibers and connective tissue without breaking the skin. A muscle bruise can cause pain and swelling and limited range of motion of the joint near the injury. Depending upon the extent of injury, a muscle bruise can take days or months to heal.

Update Date: 5/17/2007

Updated by: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics and Psychiatry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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