Not warming up properly, fatigue, lack of flexibility, and weakness can cause all types of athletes to pull a muscle. The most commonly pulled muscles are hamstrings (especially in sports involving running, such as jogging, basketball and soccer) and calves (particularly in older tennis players). The hamstrings are the muscles behind your thighs; pulling them is painful and can even cause bruising. While these are the most common, patients can pull many different muscles depending on the sport they are performing.
The best way to prevent pulling a muscle is to stretch properly before and after exercising, and patients should avoid working out when fatigued and weak. As with most injuries, RICE and anti-inflammatory drugs are helpful, as well as gentle stretches. When the injury has begun to heal, patients can begin exercising again, but stop every so often during the workout to stretch until the sprain is completely healed.
