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Pulled Muscle Therapy

A pulled muscle is a strained muscle in which the muscle fibers have been torn as a result of being overstretched. Whether the pulled muscle was caused by weeding the garden, exercising, lifting kids or pushing a grocery cart, it can be very painful. Luckily, therapy is available to help heal the muscle and treat the pain, though the type depends on the severity of the strain.

  1. Grade I Strain

    • A grade I muscle strain is a mild pulled muscle in which just a few of the muscle fibers have been torn or stretched. The muscle is painful and tender but has normal strength. Therapy consists of resting the pulled muscle, taking a short break from sports activities, compressing the muscle with a tight bandage and elevating it. Tylenol or Motrin is suggested for pain. A mild muscle strain should improve within a week or two and heal within two to four weeks.

    Grade II Strain

    • A grade II strain is a moderate pulled muscle in which a large number of the muscle fibers have been torn or stretched. The muscle is tender, the pain is severe, there is some mild swelling and maybe a bruise, and it has lost some strength. Therapy includes resting the pulled muscle, taking a longer break from sports activities, treating it with ice to reduce swelling, compressing the muscle with an elastic bandage, and elevating it.
      A doctor may prescribe muscle relaxants and a stronger pain medication, such as Demerol or Percocet. A moderate muscle strain should show improvement within two to four weeks and heal within four to six weeks.

    Grade III Strain

    • A grade III muscle strain is a severely pulled muscle in which the muscle fibers have been completely torn. Sometimes a popping sound can be heard when the muscle tears away from the tendon or when the muscle tears into two pieces. This is a serious injury that causes a total loss of all muscle function, along with tenderness, swelling, pain and discoloration. Since grade III muscle strains generally cause a sharp break in the muscle's normal outline, there may be a noticeable gap or dent where the ripped muscle pieces have torn apart under the skin.
      Therapy usually involves the doctor referring the patient to a specialist. Depending on the location and severity of the pulled muscle, the specialist might place a cast on the injured muscle or repair the strain surgically. If a severe muscle strain does not heal within eight to 10 weeks, a rehabilitation program may be recommended.

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