Remedies for Strained Muscles

Strained muscles are common for professionals, enthusiasts and the fitness conscious. Overstretching or straining of the muscle fibers leads to extreme pain and hampers movement. Most of the simplest forms of muscle strains can be cured easily within a few days. Avoiding similar muscle strains in the future is not a difficult matter either.

Taking Rest

• As soon as you feel that you have strained your muscle, stop your workout and reduce the use of the area as much as you can for the next 1 or 2 days. If you suffer from psychological injury depression and live in fear of not being able to do what you love, control yourself, be patient and stay away from exerting that pulled muscle. A hurried recuperation often comes back with a vengeance within a short time.

Cold Pack

• Applying ice to the injured area is a critical remedy for strained muscles, as the wet coldness seeps through the muscle depth, bringing down the area's blood flow and lowering swelling, which in turn, reduces pain and allows improved movement. As excessive ice application might lead to burning of the skin, similar to an apparent frostbite, use any kind of cold pack and apply it to the injured area. Apply the pack or ice every 20 minutes in 2-hour sessions at least twice a day for the first 1 to 3 days. But remember to remove the cold pack if numbness sets in no matter how long it has been applied.

Hot Pack

• After 2 days have passed, you can try to use a hot pack or immerse the injured area under water as hot as you can tolerate for no more than 20 minutes. This will aid in bringing back some additional circulation of blood to the injured zone, reducing the chance of any kind of spasm of the muscle.

Compression

• When you can withstand it, bandage the injured area with a bandage wrap and keep it that way for a couple of hours. This will help bring down the swelling by pressure application and will additionally, prop the injured muscle up and keep it in place, forcing it to remain immobile. With this you can avoid the chance of further strain on the muscle. But be careful to remove the wrap in case the skin gets discolored.

Elevation

• Place yourself in such a way that the body part with the muscle strain is at a higher elevation that the rest of your body. This will go a long way in bringing the pain and swelling down.

Medication

• Though homeopathic medication is gradually gaining in popularity, some topical medicines like arnica are also known to prove helpful. Conventional medication will include naproxen and Ibuprofen which bring the inflammation and pain down, while acetaminophen and aspirin are known to reduce the swelling as well.

Preventive Measures

• Always remember to do some stretching before and after any kind of workout, game or physical exertion. Hold any stretch for not less than 20 seconds while you inhale and exhale deeply. Whenever you are in training, step up the procedure slowly and always maintain moderation. Avoid doing only one kind of training all the time and mix trainings of a few kinds in order to work all muscles, not just one or a few. Use proper equipment, like the correct running shoes, and avail the services of a professional trainer for reduced injuries during even the most thorough of workouts.