Pulled Muscle? No Working Out
I always dread having to answer this question in my classes from members at the gyms, “I have a pulled muscle here (pick any major muscle group), what do you recommend I do to help it?” The answer is one nobody that loves the gym wants to hear.
Go home and rest until it is completely healed.
That is really all you can do. Trust me, I’ve been there plenty of times and have received the same advice and hated hearing it. Stop working out that area until it is healed. Early on a muscle pull may only take a few days to heal, however if it’s aggravated it can take weeks or months as demonstrated by my massive groin pull four and a half years ago after I refused to stop running on a minor muscle strain.
According to Wikihow.com, here are the steps you should take:
1. Immobilize the injured area. Rest for a while, making sure to raise the injured area above the ‘heart level’ if possible.
2. Medicate with an over the counter anti-inflammatory. An anti-inflammatory will help prevent/reduce swelling.
3. Put an ice pack, or ice wrapped in a towel (anything cold, really. A bag of frozen peas can do) on the area of pain for no more than 20 minutes. This should be done immediately.
4. Massage the area a few minutes every hour. This is supposed decrease swelling and increase blood flow.
5. Use moist heat, a *moist* hot towel, heating pad, hot water bottle, hot shower, or even a *moist* hot sponge can do the trick. Make sure the swelling has decreased before doing this step. Never use them for more than 25 minutes at a time.
6. Strengthen the injured muscle with an elastic bandage/gauze. Watch out you don’t wrap it so tightly that you’re going to cut off circulation. (Blue skin, tingling and numbness are dead give aways)
7. Gradually increase your activity. Begin by doing some easy stretches.
Remember, resting is an important part of exercise and training. A pull or a strain is your body’s way of telling you to take a break. Listen to it.
For more helpful tips check out the full page at http://www.wikihow.com/Recover-from-a-Strained-or-Pulled-Muscle
Hi DIna! I have a question…I have been doing yoga now for going on 5 years. I have seen amazing results…..but can it make your joints crack? Seriously, ever so often I get that itch in my chest joint (sorry my anatomy sucks) and have to pull back my arms and my chest just POPS so loudly! It doesn’t hurt, but just sounds really bad……….I attribute it to my added flexibility but I would love to know your thoughts……..