A pulled or tense muscle is a muscle that has been overstretched due to physical activity, making it swollen and painful. A pulled muscle is a common injury that is usually easy to treat at home. Learn how to treat a pulled muscle and determine when you need medical intervention.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Relieves the Pain
Step 1. Rest the muscles
When your muscles are pulled, stop doing activities that cause them to tense. A pulled muscle is actually a tear in a muscle fiber, and overuse can cause this tear to enlarge and cause serious injury.
- Use the intensity of pain as a reference. If a muscle pull occurs while you are walking or exercising, and you have to stop and catch your breath because of the intense pain, the best thing to do is rest until the game is over.
- Take a few days to recover the pulled muscle before resuming the activity that caused it.
Step 2. Compress the muscles
Cooling the muscle area will reduce swelling and help relieve pain. Fill a large food bag with ice cubes. Wrap in a thin towel to protect your skin from the ice directly. Place an ice pack on the affected area and hold it for 20 minutes. Do this several times a day until the swelling subsides.
- Bags of frozen peas or other vegetables are also great for ice packs.
- Avoid using heat as it will not reduce the inflammation caused by the pulled muscle.
Step 3. Compress the affected area
Bandaging the muscle area can reduce inflammation and prevent further injury. Use ace plaster to loosely wrap your arm or leg.
- Don't bandage the area too tightly, or your blood circulation won't improve.
- If you don't have ace plaster, cut the old pillowcase into long strips and use it to compress the area.
Step 4. Elevate your muscles
By supporting the muscle, the inflamed area will be elevated, and this will help reduce swelling and give the muscle the rest it needs to heal.
- If your leg muscles are stretched, rest on an ottoman or bench as you sit down.
- If you pull the muscle in your arm, you can support it with a sling.
Step 5. Take painkillers
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin or ibuprofen will reduce pain and help you move more easily with pulled muscles. Make sure you don't take more than the recommended dose and give aspirin to children.
Part 2 of 3: Knowing When You Need to Seek Medical Help
Step 1. Monitor your pain
Resting the muscles and using an ice pack should resolve the muscle strain problem within a few days. If you have severe pain that doesn't go away, see a doctor. You may have a severe injury that requires medical attention.
- If your doctor determines your injury requires extra care, you may be given a pair of crutches or a sling so that the pulled muscle can rest. Strong painkillers may also be given.
- In rare cases, pulled muscles may require physical therapy or surgical treatment.
Step 2. See a doctor if you have any other related symptoms
Sometimes muscle pain is related to something other than fatigue. You may think that you are pulling a muscle during physical activity, but if you experience any of the following symptoms at the same time, make an appointment to see your doctor:
- bruises
- Swollen
- Signs of infection, such as itching and red, raised skin.
- Bite marks in the area of pain.
- Poor circulation or numbness in the area where the muscle pain is felt.
Step 3. Seek help immediately if your symptoms are severe
If your muscle pain is accompanied by any of the following severe symptoms, go to the emergency room or treatment center immediately to find out what's going on:
- Your muscles feel very weak.
- You are short of breath or dizzy.
- You have a stiff neck and fever.
Part 3 of 3: Preventing Pulled Muscles From Occurring
Step 1. Warm up
Muscle pull occurs when your muscles are too tired, which is usually the result of exercising too hard before warming up properly. Take time to stretch and warm up your muscles before participating in physical activity.
- If you like running, do a light jog before going for a sprint or faster run.
- If you play a team sport, go for a jog, game of throw and catch, or light exercise before getting into the game.
- Use a foam roller to stretch the muscles in your legs, back, and shoulders. This exercise can help warm up the body.
Step 2. Meet the body's fluid needs by drinking 8-11 glasses of water every day
Dehydration will increase the risk of muscle injury. So, make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day, including during exercise. Don't wait until you feel thirsty before drinking because you may already be dehydrated when you feel thirsty.
If you exercise a lot, make sure to drink more water. You may also need sports drinks as low electrolyte levels can also increase your risk of muscle injury
Step 3. Do strength training
Incorporating weightlifting and other strength training into your training routine can help prevent the possibility that your muscles will be stretched during activities. Use free weights at home or work out in the weight room at the gym to build solid muscles, a strong core, and keep your muscles supple.
Step 4. Know when to stop
You may continue to do physical activity and force yourself to keep walking even when pain in your leg or arm indicates that you need to stop. Remember, more stress on the pulled muscle will only make things worse. If your tear in your muscle gets deeper, you may have to sit out for a whole season of games instead of just one game.
Tips
- Try a hot/cold balm to ease the pain. Neither of these things will reduce the swelling, but they can make the painful area feel better.
- Once the swelling has reduced, apply a hot compress to help warm your muscles before exercising.
