If muscle growth is caused by microtears, then what is the biological reason that a strain doesn’t make your muscles grow even stronger?
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Muscle growth *isn’t* caused by microtears.
Whenever skeletal muscle is injured, *satellite cells* are activated. These are responsible for repairing the muscle and building it back “stronger”.
When the injury is minor, such as microtears from exercise, the repair is very fast. But when the injury is major, such as a strain or a sprain, the repair is very slow and may be complicated by atrophy since you don’t exercise the injured muscle during recovery.
Different people have different “activation rates” for their satellite cells. People with a high rate build muscle very rapidly and are stereotyped as “genetic freaks”. Some people literally have a 0% activation rate and can’t build muscle from exercise.
In general, satellite cell activation is more efficient in prolonged exercise – yet another reason why microtears are more efficient. “Feeling the burn” is associated with better activation.
“Roids” build muscle by, among other factors, increasing satellite activation.
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