how to rehab a muscle strain

Common Causes

Oct 12, 2016 · Use it 20 min. on/20 min. off, many times a day at first and then tapering off to morning, after the workout, and before bed. Ice is your best friend in a muscle belly injury, holding down inflammation and fluid accumulation (“swelling”) while at the same time increasing beneficial blood flow through the injury.

Related Conditions

Dec 24, 2017 · According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the most common and effective treatment for muscle strains is the RICE method. The individual letters of RICE stand for rest, ice,...

What is the best treatment for muscle strain?

The first-line treatment for a muscular strain in the acute phase includes five steps commonly known as P.R.I.C.E. [12] Protection : Apply soft padding to minimize impact with objects.

How long does it take for a muscle strain to heal?

If you had a minor muscle strain, you should be able to do some gentle movement after two days. Ice. Apply ice to the injury for 20 minutes each hour you’re awake. Ice can help reduce inflammation. Never apply ice directly to bare skin; instead, wrap the …

How do you treat a Grade 1 muscle strain?

Keeping the strained muscle elevated also reduces pain and swelling and protects the muscle from further strain. It is possible to combine this strategy with light compression and ice application to further accelerate healing. Engage In Light Foam Rolling MediBank. One of the easiest ways to prevent a muscle strain is by engaging in light foam rolling.

What is the treatment for a muscle sprain?

The initial approach to Physical Therapy of your muscle strain will depend on how long after your injury that you seek treatment. The immediate line of defense straight after a muscle strain should be the application of ice and compression, followed by …

How long does it take for a muscle strain to heal?

For a mild strain, you may be able to return to normal activities within three to six weeks with basic home care. For more severe strains, recovery can take several months. In severe cases, surgical repair and physical therapy may be necessary. With proper treatment, most people recover completely.

Is it better to rest or exercise a pulled muscle?

“The most important treatment for acute muscle strain is rest,” he explains. “Continuing to stress a pulled muscle could result in further damage to muscle and a much longer healing time.Nov 15, 2021

How can I speed up muscle recovery?

How to Speed Up Muscle Strain RecoveryApply ice or a cold compress immediately.Alternate ice with heat therapy.Perform simple low-impact exercises and stretching.Knee and calf massage for leg muscle strain recovery.Elevate the injured muscle.May 27, 2021

How do I know if I strained a muscle?

Signs and symptoms will vary, depending on the severity of the injury, and may include:Pain or tenderness.Redness or bruising.Limited motion.Muscle spasms.Swelling.Muscle weakness.Sep 1, 2020

How does muscle strain affect recovery?

Muscle strain treatment depends upon an accurate diagnosis from your health professional. The severity of your muscle strain, and what function or loads your injured muscle will need to cope with , will impact the length of your healing and rehabilitation process.

What is a strain to the muscle?

A strain to the muscle or muscle tendon is the equivalent of a sprain to ligaments. A muscle strain occurs when muscle fibers cannot cope with the demands placed on them by exercise overload and leads to tearing of the fibers. It is a contraction-induced injury in which muscle fibers tear due to extensive mechanical stress.

How to tell if you have a muscle strain?

Symptoms of muscle strain include: 1 Swelling, bruising, or redness due to the injury 2 Pain at rest 3 Inability to use the muscle at all 4 The weakness of the muscle or tendons

What is grade 3 strain?

Grade III (severe) strains represent the complete rupture of the muscle. This means either the tendon is separated from the muscle belly or the muscle belly is actually torn in 2 parts. Severe swelling and pain and a complete loss of function are characteristic of this type of strain.

What is the classification of muscle injury?

Muscle Injury Classification. Muscle lesions are classified as grade I, II, and III based on the number of fibers disrupted according to clinical and imaging investigations: Grade I (mild) strains affect only a limited number of fibers in the muscle.

What are the factors that contribute to the risk of injury?

Predisposing Factors. Three types of muscle are at possible risk of injury: Two-joint muscles. Specifically, the motion at one joint increases the passive tension of the muscle and leads to an overstretching injury. Muscles contracting eccentrically.

What is eccentric contraction?

Eccentric contractions, frequent during the deceleration phase of activity, may change the muscle tension and induce myofibre overload injury 10. Muscles with a higher percentage of type II fibers. These are fast-twitch muscles that develop high- speed contractions. In this way, the muscle is more predisposed to injury.

What causes muscle strains?

Muscle strains can be caused by: 1 Lifting an object that is too heavy 2 Lifting improperly 3 Not warming up before or stretching after a workout 4 Overusing a muscle 5 Poor posture

How long does it take to heal a pulled muscle?

However, you should consult with your doctor if you still have pain after 24 hours of at-home treatment.

What is a pulled muscle?

A pulled muscle, or muscle strain , occurs when a muscle or tendon is overstretched or torn. Muscle strains can occur without warning and affect people of all ages and fitness levels. Because these types of injuries can range in severity, you should see your doctor right away if you:

What are the symptoms of a pulled muscle?

Symptoms of a pulled muscle include: Bruising, swelling or redness at the injury site. Difficulty using the affected muscle. Muscle weakness. Sudden pain when using the affected muscle. Pain when the muscle is at rest.

How to reduce swelling from a muscle injury?

Medication. Your physician may recommend a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, like ibuprofen, to reduce pain and swelling. Heat. Use a heating pad a few times a day after three days. Never apply heat directly to bare skin; always wrap the heating pad in a towel.

What is muscle strain?

A muscle strain, or a muscle pull occurs when a muscle in your body is overstretched or overworked. Even if the injury from overstretching or overworking occurs more to the attaching tendon it can also be classified under the term muscle strain.

How do you know if you have a muscle strain?

What does a muscle strain feel like?#N#Several symptoms can indicate that you have incurred a muscle strain but the symptoms you feel will depend on the grade of strain you have incurred: 1 sudden onset of pain, or pain/soreness that comes on the next day related to a specific event 2 pain on touching the injured area 3 mild, moderate, or severely limited range of movement, or an extreme abnormal range of motion 4 decreased strength in the injured muscle 5 bruising or discoloration in the area or at a distal location to the strain 6 swelling 7 a "knotted up" feeling 8 a local divot or bump in the affected area due to the torn muscle fibers 9 muscle spasm in the area 10 stiffness in the area

What happens if you stretch your muscles?

If too much stretch is put through one of your muscles you may end up with a painful muscle strain. If the similar type of injury occurred to one of the ligaments in your body, ...

Where do muscle strains occur?

A muscle strain can occur in any of your voluntary muscles (or tendons which attach to the muscle), but they are most common in the low back, the calves, the front and back of the thighs, the pectoral muscles, and the muscles of the neck and the shoulder. Muscle strains occur more often in muscles that cross two joints ...

What does grade 3 mean?

Grade III (severe): All fibers of the muscle are completely torn. This means that the muscle is completely torn into two parts or the muscle belly has torn from its attachment to the tendon. Severe swelling, pain, and bruising accompany a grade III strain.

What is acute compartment syndrome?

An acute compartment syndrome requires immediate medical attention in order to decompress the compartment, restore blood supply to the tissues, and ensure no muscle death occurs in the affected area. A severe muscle strain may also result in a much less common, but serious, complication call rhabdomyolysis.

What does a physical therapist do for pain?

Once the initial pain and inflammation has calmed down, your Physical Therapist will focus on improving the flexibility and strength of the involved muscle.

How to prevent muscle strain?

What can I do to prevent an abdominal muscle strain? 1 The athlete starts in a position lying on the floor. The athlete bends his/her knees so that his/her feet are on the floor. Then the athlete pushes his/her pelvis up so that the knees, hips, and spine are in one line. Initially, the athlete may want to place his/her hands and arms on the ground to add stability. 2 As the athlete gets stronger, the athlete can raise his/her arms off of the floor. As the athlete moves up into the bridge, the athlete should contract all of the muscles in and around the trunk and hold the bridge for 10 seconds. This can be repeated for a total of three sets of ten repetitions. 3 To increase the difficulty of this exercise, the athlete can extend one knee by lifting his/her foot off of the ground while in the bridge position. The key is for the athlete to maintain a neutral pelvis position with hips straight and not rotated throughout this exercise. The athlete can alternate legs or hold the extended leg for a count of five or ten before replacing his/her foot on the ground.

What is a strain in the body?

A strain is an injury to a muscle. A strain can vary in severity from a mild stretch to a full rupture. In an abdominal muscle strain, any one of the four muscles can be injured causing extreme discomfort with any trunk movements as well as with coughing, laughing, deep breathing, or sneezing.

What does it mean when an athlete has pain?

Pain is an indicator that the athlete has exceeded the injured tissue’s capability to lengthen. Stretching too early during the rehabilitation of a muscle strain can reinjure the damaged tissue and set the athlete’s progress back.

What happens if you tear a fiber?

The athlete may experience sudden abdominal pain, marked tenderness, localized swelling, and discoloration. Any and all movements of the athlete may be painful with the athlete guarded in his/her movements.

How to do a squat?

The athlete starts in a position lying on the floor. The athlete bends his/her knees so that his/her feet are on the floor. Then the athlete pushes his/her pelvis up so that the knees, hips, and spine are in one line. Initially, the athlete may want to place his/her hands and arms on the ground to add stability.

Which muscle group is the most superficial?

The most superficial muscle group is the rectus abdominis. This is the set of muscles that fun up and down the abdomen and can be seen in athletes who have a low body fat (also known as the much sought after “six pack”).

What is the best abdominal exercise?

Here are a few good at home abdominal exercises. The Bridge – Is a core exercise that can be done without equipment. It is easily performed and has a lot of variations that can be added to increase the difficulty level of the specific exercise. The athlete starts in a position lying on the floor.