However, muscle tears also referred to as strains can be more problematic. Those athletes who push their bodies beyond the failure point — doing forced reps or extreme training — are very likely to experience more intense injuries, to include muscle tears. The same is true of people who enter into an exercise program without preparation, as well as those who may suffer an accident on the job.
The fact is, if you have a muscle, it can be strained or torn. Here is what you need to know about muscle tears and, most importantly, how to fix them if you are were not able to prevent them in the first place.
Torn muscles can occur any time your muscle becomes strained or overstretched. This can happen as a result of exhaustion and fatigue, improper use, or overuse. While any muscle can be affected, torn muscles most often occur in the lower back, neck, shoulder and hamstring.
When you tear a muscle, even when it is mild, you will know immediately. Expect pain and soreness, as well as spasms and swelling in the affected area. Depending on the severity of the strain, you may find it difficult to move the area, if at all. If the tear is from overuse, the symptoms may take weeks to get to the point where you finally seek medical attention.
If the strain or tear is acute and serious —usually brought on by an accident, slipping, falling, colliding into something, or lifting something heavy, you may be forced to seek immediate treatment.
If you have a hamstring injury, for example, try lying on your back with your legs extended and performing heel slides, smoothly moving your heel up to your butt and back down again, she suggests. You can think of a grade 2 pulled muscle, which features moderate muscle tears, to be a lot like a run in a stocking, says Vlahakis. That said, physical therapy is generally recommended for injuries classified as grade 2 or higher, and this can last a few weeks, says Malek.
There, you'll perform light movement that'll help heal — not aggravate — your injury and put you on track for a full recovery, she says. A grade 3 pulled muscle involves extensive tears to the muscle, and a person with this type of injury may feel a sharp, stabbing pain and "fall to the ground, and their range of motion within 24 hours is pretty shot — it's significantly reduced," says Malek.
The exact recovery period depends on the severity of the injury and the specific muscle, but generally, you could be out for 10 weeks to six months, says Malek. Your doctor may recommend immobilization — meaning they'll put a cast, boot, or splint on the affected area for an extended period of time — then once it's healed a bit, going in for physical therapy, says Malek.
Then, "we're gradually getting into a more specific plan of care i. Of all the types of pulled muscles, a grade 4 is the most severe, as the entire muscle or tendon is completely torn, says Malek. In this case, surgery may be required — and fast. For example, you might need three to six months of rehabilitation after surgery for a torn hamstring , three months for a torn bicep tendon , and four to six months for a torn rotator cuff before you can resume your usual workouts or athletic activities, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
If your injury doesn't require surgery, you still might be out for at least 12 to 16 weeks, says Malek. To keep those minor to excruciating injuries at bay — and avoid those tedious healing times — you'll want to revamp your workout routine. Start by swapping your static stretching pre-sweat sesh with a dynamic warm-up , which features similar movements to the ones you'll do during your workout, just at a slower pace, suggests Malek.
This helps prep the muscle groups that'll be used during your workout and may help prevent injury, she says. During your workout itself, incorporate exercises that work the same muscle in different ways think: a variety of loads, speeds, and types of contractions. If you're training your hamstrings, for instance, add hamstring curls , deadlifts , good mornings , and Nordic hamstring curls to your leg day regimen — not just one of these exercises, says Malek. Preventing muscle imbalances , meaning one side of your body is stronger than the other, is also key.
Outside of the gym, Vlahakis recommends finding balance; stretch on the days you sit at a desk from 9 to 5 and don't hit up a standing-room-only concert on the days you train for a marathon. You have to balance out your activities to not overload the joints or overload on the same movement.
Schedule an appointment with Dr. Powell or one of our other primary care providers. Save time, book online. Close X. Back to Living Better Living Better newsletter. Zip Code. How to recover from a pulled muscle. Signs you have a muscle strain Muscle strains are most common in the hamstrings, lower back, shoulders and neck. Symptoms of a pulled muscle include: Bruising, swelling or redness at the injury site Difficulty using the affected muscle Muscle weakness Sudden pain when using the affected muscle Pain when the muscle is at rest What causes muscle strains?
Elevate the injured muscle to reduce swelling.
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