Undue pressure on the muscles during exercise and other physical activities can cause strain and pulls. The muscle stress can cause pain and inflammation in the affected body part. As a result, your ability to conduct your regular activities could be compromised. You should also note that continued strain could cause long-term damage to the muscles and connected tendons. Therefore, if you do experience muscle pulls and tears, you should resolve the damage to prevent escalation. Here are some crucial tips for helping you manage muscle strain.
Consider Therapeutic Massage
You should think about consulting an expert for therapeutic massage if you are experiencing pain and swelling due to muscle strain. In general, the manipulation of the tissues during the massage will promote efficient blood flow. The improvement of circulation will ensure faster healing. Massage also loosens tightened muscles, promoting the relaxation of the stressed body parts. In addition, the pressure applied to the inflamed muscles during the massage will get rid of the accumulated fluid.
Apply Cold Packs
You should apply some cold treatment product on your injured muscles immediately after an incident. The cold therapy process can be performed using ice or gel packs, cold baths and other similar systems. The low temperature will numb the injured muscles, minimising the pain in the body. In addition, cold packs are highly efficient for managing swelling or inflammation. Taking fast action will prevent the escalation of the symptoms.
Compress the Muscles
You can manage and prevent swelling after an injury by compressing the injured and inflamed muscle. Like in massage, the compression pressure will reduce the accumulation of fluid in the site of strain and tears. There will also be an increase in the flow of blood, promoting tissue healing. You should use an elastic or static bandage to provide good pressure and consistent compression.
Use Heat Therapy
You should not use heat treatment immediately after sustaining injury. However, when the initial swelling in the muscles subsides significantly, the application of heat using hot water bottles, hot pads and warm baths can improve your healing. In general, therapeutic heat will increase the efficiency of circulation, and this will result in faster healing. Also, the high temperature can promote the relaxation of tired and tense muscles. Additionally, you can alternate cold and heat therapy for ideal results.
If the symptoms of muscle strain persist after appropriate care, you should consult a sports injuries specialist for check-up.
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