What are muscular strains?
Muscular strains, also commonly referred to as pulled muscles, occur when the muscle fibers are stretched or torn beyond their normal limits.
What causes muscular strains?
Muscular strains are injuries that occur commonly during physical activities that involve sudden or strenuous movements, inadequate warm-up, overexertion, or repetitive symptoms.
What are symptoms of muscular strains?
Symptoms of a muscular strain may include pain, swelling, muscle weakness, stiffness and bruising of the affected area. The severity of the strain can range from mild discomfort to severe pain that limits movement.
How are muscular strains diagnosed?
In diagnosing a muscular strain, your healthcare provider will typically start with a physical examination, medication history review and possible imaging tests such as ultrasounds or MRIs to further assess the extent of your injury. In some instances, your healthcare provider may also perform specific tests that aim to evaluate the muscle’s strength and function.
- Rest and avoiding activities which aggravate the injury, allowing the muscle to heal.
- Ice and heat therapy, which consists of applying ice in the first 48 hours of sustaining the injury to reduce swelling, followed by heat therapy to promote blood flow and healing to the affected area.
- Compression and elevation to further reduce swelling and improve circulation.
- Physical therapy, which is comprised of stretches and strengthening exercises geared toward improving flexibility and muscle function.
- Medications, such as over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, to manage pain inflammation.
- Massage therapy consisting of gentle massaging to improve circulation and promote healing.
Surgery may be necessary in more severe cases to repair the muscle where it has been completely torn, or in instances where conservative treatments are not effective.