A pulled back muscle or a lower back strain injury occurs when the ligaments or muscles in the back become damaged. There are two types of back sprains:
- A muscles strain happens when the muscle fibers are over stretched or torn.
- The other common injury is a lumber sprain this occurs when the ligaments are stretched too far or torn.
These types of injuries are common in patients that practice sports that may involve sharp twisting motions for example golf or the lifting heavy weight
The symptoms to these injuries are a sudden pain is felt in the lower back; the area becomes inflamed and sore to touch in some cases the patient may find it a little difficult to stand.
To treat such injuries the following method can be followed; resting is always advised in such injuries this can elevate a lot of pain, to reduce inflammation it is always best to use ice this is applied to the affect area for fifteen to twenty minutes once every three to four hours.
The use of pain killers such as acetaminophen can help and in some cases it may be best to use anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen. Patient may also benefit from a massage which will help promote blood flow this will also loosen tight muscles and release endorphins which is the body’s natural painkiller.
The best prevention of this is to warm up correctly before any exercises by stretching and keep the muscles flexible also when lifting heavy objects it is important to utilize the larger back muscles. This is done by lifting with the legs and keeping the back straight.
