Pulled Muscle Treatment

When people injure themselves by pulling one or more of the muscles in their body, they have a wide variety of options for treatment and recovery. Some of these treatments are invasive, others are primarily hands-off. Some treatment methods and modalities involve the patient being responsible for their recovery, playing an active role in treatment by attending regular appointments and doing prescribed exercises as instructed by their healthcare provider.

Physical Therapy

One way to help the body heal from a pulled muscle injury is by going to physical therapy. Physical therapy is done by a license physical therapist that knows the right exercises and modalities to rehabilitate a pulled muscle. There are many types of physical therapy, each focusing on a different rehabilitation technique. The three most common types of physical therapy include soft tissue mobilization, strain-counterstrain, and joint mobilization.

Soft tissue mobilization includes breaking up fibrous muscle tissue; the inelastic form known as scar tissue. This is done through stretching exercises and deep pressure modalities. The deep pressure is often done with ice or other hard structure, and pressed continuously but gently into the scar tissue, breaking it up over time.

Strain-Counterstrain physical therapy is the process of correcting neuromuscular reflexes that are notorious for causing structural and postural problems. The strain-counterstrain physical therapy process includes using patient input. The physical therapist positions the patient in a position that is opposite of the restricted position, targeting tender-points. Once the tender-points are found, the position of comfort is typically held for about 90 seconds, and gently stretched until normal tension levels return to the affected muscles.

Joint mobilization is a relatively active form of physical therapy that includes moving and mobilizing the muscles and joints that were affected in the injury. This process is done through stretching and slow movement. The reason it is done by a physical therapist, is because it moves the muscles in ways that a person cannot do by themselves. Often without the aid of a second person, a muscle movement is done with the help of other muscles, and therefore having a second party do it allows the muscle to be isolated during movement.

Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation is similar to physical therapy, but often involves using equipment to rehabilitate the injured muscle. Exercises include various forms of stretching, straining, and mobilizing muscles using things such as weight therapy, resistance bands, and water therapy. It all includes gentle movements that gradually build the injured muscle back up to the point of functionality following the injury.

Exercises

Exercising for rehabilitation of an injured muscle are helpful, not only for flexibility and mobility, but also regaining strength following an injury. Exercise therapy include targeting the affected area, as well as the supporting muscles surrounding the injury itself so that proper functionality can be restored over time. The exercises are often high in repetition but low in resistance and weight, making sure that re-injury does not occur.

Medication

Because these types of injuries involve muscle tears and surrounding damage, they can be very painful. Medications can help with the pain of the injury, but they do not help with healing the injury itself. The most common medications used for the treatment of pulled muscles are over-the-counter anti-inflammatories. The anti-inflammatory medications help to reduce swelling and are often paired with pain relief drugs such as acetaminophen to help the overall effects of a pulled muscle.

In extreme cases, a healthcare professional may prescribe muscle relaxants or pain killers, if the muscle is knotted or the pain is very severe. Sometimes a few days of taking such medications can speed up the healing process, as it allows the person to relax enough to rest as needed.

Other Applications

There are a variety of other treatments that are less popular, but can be equally as effective. Chiropractic care, massage, and acupuncture are all hands-on, gentle treatment that keeps medication out of the picture. The aforementioned treatments are gentle and holistic, aimed at rehabilitating the muscles through energy-based processes and gentle touch.

At-Home Treatment

At-home treatment should be limited to simple things that are not likely to put the person at risk for re-injury. Things such as gentle stretching, resting, and application of ice and heat are generally considered safe, and will help the affected area heal slowly. Attempting physical therapy or exercises without the consultation of a healthcare professional can lead to further injury or make the current injury more serious.