Muscle strain, or muscle strain, is a common injury that can occur during sports or other physical activities. When you strain a muscle, you’ve stretched it to the point of tearing, which can be very painful.
If you’re engaged in a sport that involves running fast and kicking, you’re likely to develop a muscle strain. In fact, the most common sports with muscle strains are athletics, rugby, American and Australian rules football, and football. Additionally, it’s not uncommon for people to re-injure strained muscles, so it’s important to take proper care to rest and heal the injury before returning to your chosen sport or physical activity.
Causes of Muscle Strains
A muscle strain occurs when you are not physically prepared for physical activity through warm-ups and stretching, have an accident, or exert too much force. Before starting any type of physical activity, it is very important to warm up and stretch your muscles well in a timely manner.
In addition, there are a few factors that may make you more likely to strain your muscles again:
- The first injury was not adequately treated
- There is no recovery of muscles
- Returning to physical activity too quickly
Symptoms of Muscle Strain
The main symptom of a muscle strain is pain. The pain can be worst after an injury, but it can also last for a short time. You may also encounter:
- Sudden, severe pain
- Difficulty moving injured muscles
- Inability to move joints normally
- The injured limb is extremely weak
- Discoloration or bruising
- swelling
Muscle Strain Treatment
After a muscle strain, it is important to take quick steps to treat pain and swelling:
- On the first day, wrap ice cubes in a cloth and place them on the strained body area for 15 minutes every hour, and every three to four hours for the next few days. If possible, elevate the strained limb above the heart. After three days, you can alternate between heat and ice.
- You may find over-the-counter (OTC) medications designed to reduce inflammation, such as Tylenol (acetaminophen), that can improve your pain and swelling.
- After the pain begins to subside, stretching exercises and light physical activity are started.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
It’s important to pay close attention to how you feel after a muscle strain. Consult your healthcare provider if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- There is a lot of swelling near the strained muscle, especially when the swelling starts to worsen
- Difficulty moving arms, legs, or joints
- The pain didn’t go away for weeks
If your pain is severe, your healthcare provider may prescribe other medications to reduce inflammation and pain. They may also recommend physical therapy to help rebuild your flexibility and strength.
How to Prevent Muscle Strains
If you don’t do proper warm-up or stretching before exercising, it can lead to muscle strain. Before you start physical activity, it’s important to take the time to make sure your muscles are ready to move.
To prepare your body for exercise, make sure you:
- Start by moving your body slowly, then accelerate to move completely. For example, walk for five minutes before jogging.
- Stretch after warming up – don’t stretch your muscles until they warm up. Hold each stretch for at least 15 to 30 seconds and don’t bounce during the stretch.
At the end of the workout, cool your body down with a similar warm-up motion. This helps to bring your body back to normal temperature and heart rate.
Additionally, some studies have shown that strains can be caused by some of your muscles being stronger than others, such as your hamstrings not being as strong as your quadriceps. You may want to try exercises that target different muscle groups to ensure that you build strength evenly across the muscle groups.
Finally, some research suggests that fatigue can be the cause of muscle strain. As always, be sure to listen to your body when exercising, and if your body starts to feel tired, stop or slow down.
Conclusion
Muscle strains are extremely common injuries for both athletes and non-athletes. It is very important to stretch and warm up your muscles before doing any physical activity to avoid injury. Most cases of minor muscle strains can be treated at home with ice, rest, heat, and anti-inflammatory medications, but for more severe cases, it’s important to see your doctor.
