Healing a Pulled Muscle: Pain, Swelling & Limited Mobility

When individuals experience a neuromusculoskeletal injury strain, can following basic pulled muscle treatment protocols help in healing and a full recovery?

Pulled Muscle Treatment

A pulled muscle or muscle strain occurs when a muscle is stretched beyond its ability resulting in discomfort symptoms and mobility issues. Microscopic tears can occur within the muscle fibers potentially worsening the injury. This type of injury usually causes mild to severe pain, bruising, and immobility, and nerve injuries can develop as well. Common muscle strains include:

• Pulled hamstrings
• Groin strains
• Pulled abdominal muscles
• Calf strains

Pulled muscle treatment requires patience to promote proper healing and restoration of optimal function.

• Individuals need to focus on the different stages of healing.
• Gradually increase activity levels as the body allows to prevent stiffness and atrophy which can cause complications.

Symptoms

The usual symptoms of this type of injury include:

• Pain
• Limited mobility
• Muscle spasms
• Swelling
• Bruising
• Often individuals will feel a sudden grabbing or tearing sensation and are then unable to continue the activity.

Grading

Muscle strain injuries are graded by severity: (Hospital for Special Surgery. 2019)

Grade I

• Mild discomfort.
• Often there is no disability.
• Usually does not limit activity.

Grade II

• Moderate discomfort
• Can limit the ability to perform certain activities.
• May have moderate swelling and bruising.

Grade III

• Severe injury that can cause significant pain.
• Muscle spasms.
• Swelling.
• Significant bruising.

Basic Treatment Protocols

Most pulled muscle strain injuries heal with simple treatment. Following the right steps can ensure an expedited recovery. In the early stages after the injury, there is a balance between doing too much or not enough. The amount of activity an individual will be able to do, and the time required for recovery depends on the severity of the injury. Here are some guidelines in the right direction.

Rest

• Rest is recommended for the early recovery stage.
• Depending on the severity of the injury this could last from one to five days.
• Immobilization is usually not necessary, and not moving at all can lead to muscle and joint stiffness.
• This can be harmful and interfere with mobility. (Joel M. Kary. 2010)
• If immobilization is necessary, like using a splint or cast, careful supervision should be monitored by a healthcare provider.

Cold Therapy

• Cold therapy should begin as soon as possible after sustaining a pulled muscle.
• The therapy/ice helps reduce swelling, bleeding, and pain. (Gerard A Malanga, Ning Yan, Jill Stark. 2015)
• Cold therapy applications can be done frequently, but should not exceed 15 minutes at a time.

Stretching

• Stretching is important to relax the muscles and for pre-mobilization.
• Muscles that maintain flexibility help prevent further injury.

Strengthening

• The injury and the rest period can decrease the strength of the muscle.
• It is important to rebuild strength before returning to physical activities.
• Strengthened muscles help prevent re-injury.

Increased Activity to Prevent Muscle Fatigue

• Fatigued muscles are more likely to sustain injuries. (S. D. Mair, A. V. Seaber, R. R. Glisson, W. E. Garrett Jr. 1996)
• To avoid injuries make sure the muscles are not over-exerted.
• Gradually increase activity levels when starting an exercise program to build endurance.

Properly Warming Up

• Warming up before taking on physical activities will help loosen the muscles and prevent injuries.
• Beginning work or exercise with stiff muscles can lead to an increased chance of strain.
• Studies have shown that temperature can influence the stiffness of a muscle. (K. W. Ranatunga. 2018)
• Maintaining body and muscle warmth helps prevent injury and re-injury.

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Injuries and Chiropractic: The Road To Recovery

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References

Hospital for Special Surgery, Muscle Strain: What You Need to Know About Pulled Muscles.

Kary J. M. (2010). Diagnosis and management of quadriceps strains and contusions. Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine, 3(1-4), 26–31. doi.org/10.1007/s12178-010-9064-5

Malanga, G. A., Yan, N., & Stark, J. (2015). Mechanisms and efficacy of heat and cold therapies for musculoskeletal injury. Postgraduate medicine, 127(1), 57–65. doi.org/10.1080/00325481.2015.992719

Mair, S. D., Seaber, A. V., Glisson, R. R., & Garrett, W. E., Jr (1996). The role of fatigue in susceptibility to acute muscle strain injury. The American journal of sports medicine, 24(2), 137–143. doi.org/10.1177/036354659602400203

Ranatunga K. W. (2018). Temperature Effects on Force and Actin⁻Myosin Interaction in Muscle: A Look Back on Some Experimental Findings. International journal of molecular sciences, 19(5), 1538. doi.org/10.3390/ijms19051538