Muscle strain can debilitate anyone who exercises regularly and is more common in athletes, that exercise rigorously and frequently weight train. When muscle strain impacts the body, it is important to focus on resting either the entire body before working the muscle again. This prevents re-aggravation to the muscle and gives proper recuperation.
Muscle strain symptoms
Before treating a muscle strain, you have to fully comprehend the complexities of a muscle injury.
A muscle strain usually happens when the muscle is over-stretched during an activity or exercise, and the muscle fibers tear.
It most commonly occurs on or around the place in the body where the muscle connects with tendon tissues, but also happens when there is brusque shock to the muscle. More severe cases, a muscle strain has bruising if blood vessels surrounding a muscle were broken. When the muscle strain transpires, customarily ‘pop’ or ‘snap’ is associated with pain, tenderness sometimes bruising.
Muscle strain severity
Most individuals experience or will undergo a muscle strain sometime in their life, some strains are worse than others and should be assessed then treated accordingly. There are various levels of pulled or strained muscles.
One of the most common and least severe is overstretching the muscle, and minor tearing emanates. Then tightness in the muscle happens and mild discomfort eventuates stretching.
The next level is slightly more severe and occurs when muscle fibers partially tear, sequencing with swelling, pressure, possible bruising and weakness in the muscle.
A more distressing muscle strain can happen with torn muscle fibers, then slower motor function, pain, immediate swelling and bruising results. Finally, there is a chronic injury condition where muscle strain persists. With this condition, uninterrupted rest of the muscle is crucial.
Treatment options
Once the muscle strain is identified, you can properly address the problem area to expedite the muscle function. The most common and initial treatment for muscle pain involves a succession of protocols. They are protecting the strained muscle from re-aggravation by resting it, icing it with a compressed ice pack and elevating it to immediately upgrade circulation and blood flow. Hold an ice pack on the pulled muscle as long as comfortable and possible every day for the first three days after injury. Once the injury is adequately iced, physical rehabilitation may begin and it involves minor stretching to elongate the scar tissue and improve muscle strength. After this becomes comfortable and the pain, swelling and bruising has subsided, rebound to your regular activity and exercise before the injury. However, certain precautions should be applied to prevent or minimize re-injury.
Stretches and exercises
The most commonly pulled muscles occur in the thighs and quadriceps, because they lift the knees and increase your speed. Therefore, stretching these muscles is obligatory, specially during rehabilitation from a strained muscle. One stretch for the quadriceps muscles involves holding a stationary object with one hand, while standing and then using the opposite hand to hold the free leg behind you by the ankle, lifting the leg toward your buttocks.
Keep your back straight to avoid the knee shifting forward in front of the standing leg. Another effective stretch for the hamstring and is putting one foot on a waist-high stationary object, leaning forward and reaching down until you feel a stretch in the hamstring. These stretches assist relieve muscle pain, improve muscle strength and lengthening to avoid re-injury. Always consult a physical therapist about proper stretching and how to customarily avert muscle strain.
