Articles

Additional Muscle Injury Articles

General Muscle Pull Information

Muscle Strain – Medical Treatments and Alternative Therapies

By Robin Brain

Helps athletes understand the difference between acute and chronic muscle tears or injuries. Has a solid overview of common treatments as well as a detailed list of alternative therapies (massage, chiropractic, rolfing, yoga, and other) and which are best for muscle pull prevention and which are helpful when dealing with a current injury.

Identifying the Causes of Your Pain – Pulled Muscle, Pinched Nerve or Pain Syndrome?

By Nina Schnipper

Helps athletes identify the difference among muscle pulls, fascial sprains, pinched nerves or pain syndromes. The information will help you systematically identify the source of acute or chronic muscle pain. Has some simple questions you can ask about your sports injury to self diagnosis. Points to various natural remedies for pain relief.

The Injured Muscle Healing Process

By Dr. Solomon Abrahams

Gives a detail medical overview of how your body heals from muscle injuries. It explains how the cells and muscles respond to an injury and how the healing process works. The three distinct phases of healing an injury our outlined.

  • Inflammatory stage – the body’s response to protect the injured or torn muscle tissue.
  • Proliferative stage – the body begins to glue torn fibers together.
  • Remolding stage – how tissue is transformed into functional muscles and tendons or into unwanted scar tissue.

Very helpful to understand what your body is going through as you start your recovery to get back to your sport or activity.

Pulled Muscles

by Richard Romando

Gives a quick overview of what a pulled muscle is and the physiology behind muscle injury. A good starting point to get you up to speed on muscle pull or strains.

Scar Tissue and Muscle Adhesions – Your Body’s Enemy

by Robert Vignoli

Explains how muscle adhesion, inflammation, and scar tissue can develop from repeated micro-trauma to muscle fibers. Good reading for any athlete to better understand how scar tissue develops in the body and how massage and other therapies can help prevent its formation.

Soothe Your Achy Muscles

by Steve A Johnson

Helps athletes understand the difference between common muscle soreness and over exerted muscle soreness that can result in muscle tears. Advocates stretching to combat and reduce muscle soreness or stiffness resulting from training.

Prevention of Muscle Strains or Tear

Sports Injury Prevention Strategies

by Stayajit Mohanty

In depth overview of various strategies athletes can take to prevent common muscle injuries. He touches on the key components of warm up, proper stretching, training schedules, correct biomechanics, adequate recovery, and nutrition. Ideal for any smart athlete who wants to understand all the components that go into successful athletic preparation. Clinical in tone but quite informative for athletes of all abilities.

Stretch to Prevent Back Problems, Falls or Pulled Muscles

by Gabe Mirkin, MD

Dr Mirkin along with a three time Olympian give tips for building flexibility to help prevent pulled muscles and back problems. Provides specific stretches to do for each major area of the body. Good article if you want to learn how to stretch your calf, hamstring, groin or other key muscle groups used in most sports.

What is Plyometric Training

by Andrew Berkey

Explains how plyometric training can increase muscular power for athletes in football, basketball or other sports that need explosive power. The focus of this type of training is shortening the time between stretching and contracting muscles. Ideal for creating quickness, power, jumping higher or running faster.

The Importance of Stretching and Reducing Stress

by Robert Harden

Highlights the different kinds of stretches (static and dynamic) and when each type is appropriate. Dynamic is more suited for the beginning of a workout whereas static is best at the end of a workout. Has some solid stretching principles and is worthwhile reading for any athlete looking to avoid injury.

Strength Training for Injury Prevention

by Joe Heiler

Outlines the importance of strength training to help prevent muscle pulls, back strain, and joint injuries. He highlights the importance of balance strength on both sides of the body. Having strong quads but weak hamstrings can result in muscle tears or even worse knee ligament injuries. Worthwhile reading to understand how proper weight training principles can help you perform better and reduce your risk of injury.

Specific Pulled Muscle Information

Pulled Chest Muscle Symptoms and Their Cures

by Vincent Smythe

For athletes that do weight training, this will help you identify when you have a pulled pectoral muscle or tendon and how to prevent this from happening in the first place. Learn when is not good to push through the pain when doing chest muscle exercises.

Could Hamstring Muscle Injury Cause Back Pain

by Kathie Owen

Highlights the relationship between the hamstring, quadriceps, and lower back muscles. An imbalance in any muscle group can result in back pain. Provides advice on how to prevent imbalances and build strength in the hamstring muscle.

Pulled a Muscle in Your Back? Quick Relief for Strained Back Muscles by Nina Schnipper

Gives 3 steps to take to recover from a torn or strained back muscle. Helps athletes avoid common mistakes when treating muscle pulls or strained backs and helps set the right mindset to ensure a solid recovery. In addition, addresses how proper nutrition can help speed the healing of connective and muscle tissue.

Treatments and Therapies

Physical Therapy and Old Sports Injuries Considered

By Lance Winslow

Highlights the problems with the “no pain, no gain” mentality of so many athletes. Many athletes push through injuries rather than letting them heal properly. This approach often leads to severe physical restrictions later in life. A better approach is to use physical therapy or other natural remedies to accelerate the body’s natural ability to heal so you can enjoy sports and activities in your 50’s 60’s and even later in life. In addition, taking time now to heal fully can help athlete avoid surgery or other drastic measures later.

Cortisone Shots and the Side Effects You Should Be Aware Of

By James Groux

Sport medicine doctors have used cortisone shots for decades to treat muscle, ligament, and joint issues because corticosteroid helps reduces the inflammation. However this approach is often short lived in terms of relief and has numerous side effects like infection, weaken tendons, and nerve damage just to start. Any smart athlete should understand this information if they are seeking healthy approaches to heal your body.

Nutrition and Muscles

The Importance of Good Nutrition in Sports and Fitness

by Helen Taranowski

Explains some good nutrition principles to follow as a active athlete to perform your best. Covers how carbohydrates and protein intake impacts your muscles performance. Gives some good guidelines to keep your body performing optimally.

Sports Specific Muscle Injuries

How to Deal with Strained Muscles When Playing Soccer

by Jenny Styles

Gives some simple steps you can take to play with a muscle strain that apply not only to soccer players but other athletes as well. Provides information on the difference between a pulled muscle and ligament or tendon injuries.