How to Prevent Muscle Strain

Muscle strain, which also called "pulling" a muscle, occurs when a muscle is stretched beyond its normal capabilities and actually tears away from the tendons and ligaments. A few simple steps, however, can help you prevent this common yet painful injury from happening to you.

Instructions

Prevent Muscle Strain

• 1

  Know that poor physical conditioning is one of the leading causes of muscle strain. Before you begin any sort of exercise regimen or intense physical activity when you are relatively out of shape, you must begin slowly and build muscle strength gradually over time.

• 2

  Practice stretching exercises when you warm up prior to any strenuous physical activity. Most fitness experts recommend at least 5 to 10 minutes of stretching. Concentrate on such areas as your hamstrings, groin, lower back and calves, which are the area most susceptible to muscle strain. Start by slowly extending each muscle group for up to 10 seconds, just short of the point where you start to feel pain, and repeat 4 to 6 times.

• 3

  Stop the physical activity if you become too tired, or if muscle soreness starts to develop. Muscle strains are much more likely to occur if you are experiencing fatigue or overexertion, or if you are spending too much time extending one particular muscle group.

• 4

  Protect any area of your body that has been previously injured. Once you have experienced a muscle strain in a certain area of your body, the chances for re-injury become much greater. Use an ace bandage or tape to support the previously injured area, even if it feels normal.

• 5

  Maintain your level of physical conditioning. Increasing your overall physical fitness is the best way to prevent muscle strains. If you continually allow your conditioning level to vary by not being consistent with your workout regimen, you may increase the chances of a muscle strain.

• 6

  Consult online sources like Healiohealth.com for more information on how to prevent muscle strain (see Resources below).