How to Take Care of a Pulled Leg Muscle

Muscle strains or pulled muscles can be very painful. A pulled leg muscle can make walking difficult. A pulled muscle happens when the muscle is over-extended in some way. The medical term for a pulled muscle is a strain. A strain can simply consist of the muscle being stretched or could actually be a tear in the tendon itself. A strain can effectively be treated with ibuprofen and alternating ice and heat on the affected muscle.

Things You'll Need

• Ice Pack
• Heating pad
• Ibuprofen

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Instructions

• 1

  Stop doing the activity that caused the leg muscle strain. It's likely you will know that you pulled the muscle; there will be tenderness and sharp pain when the injured muscle is used.

• 2

  Administer an ice pack on the affected muscle in the first 24 hours of the injury. Use ice cubes wrapped in a washcloth if you do not have an ice pack. Hold the ice on the muscle in five-minute intervals for 20 minutes. Wait 30 minutes and apply the ice again. After 24 hours, you can begin to alternate between ice and a heating pad, which should be used for 20 minutes, then stopped for 30 minute, followed by ice for 20 minutes.

• 3

  Take over-the-counter ibuprofen every four to six hours. The normal dose is 2 tablets per dosing. This drug is non-steroidal and will help reduce inflammation and pain.

• 4

  Rest the leg over a three-day period, walking and bending as little as possible. The idea is to allow the muscle to heal so that you can assume normal activities. A strain will heal much quicker by allowing it to rest in the early stage of the injury.

• 5

  Gently stretch the muscle in your leg if it begins to feel better after a few days. Sit on floor, with legs slightly apart, and touch your toes one leg at a time, holding the stretch for a few seconds. Stretching the muscle keeps the blood flowing and helps in the healing process.