To choose the best muscle strain treatment, you first need to know the severity of the injury. All muscle strains will benefit from a period of rest, but higher grade tears may require more complex treatment. Controlling the swelling and inflammation through cold therapy, elevation, and compression is important to reduce recovery time. Once the initial injury has healed to a satisfactory level, a doctor or physical therapist might provide you with a set of exercises to perform at home. These can prevent the muscle from becoming too tight and may decrease the chance of a recurrence in the future.
The best muscle strain treatment depends on how severe your injury is. Minor tears, where only a few fibers are affected, can often be treated at home with basic techniques such as icing. A complete rupture to a muscle is much more serious and can sometimes require surgery. As it can be difficult to immediately tell how bad a strain is, a medical doctor or sports physiotherapist should always be consulted.
During the early stages of muscle strain treatment, it is important to control the bleeding and swelling. Cold therapy helps to reduce swelling and also numb the pain; ice packs should be applied to the injured area regularly. It is important not to put ice packs directly onto the skin, however. Heat, while useful when the initial inflammation has subsided, should not be applied in the early stages because it can increase inflammation. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, can be taken to control pain levels and swelling.
Icing forms part of the PRICE formula for muscle strain treatment, which stands for protection, rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Protection and rest means that you should avoid any activities that cause pain. Compression, usually with a bandage, prevents the muscle from swelling too much, although it’s important to avoid wrapping it too tight. Elevation can also be effective at reducing inflammation.
Most types of muscle strain treatment can be performed at home, but a doctor may recommend extra efforts to speed up the process. If there has been significant damage to the tendon or muscle,a brace can assist in protection of the injured area. For injured leg muscles, crutches will help you to protect the injury. Treatment for a muscle strain also usually involves a period of rehabilitation including exercises to strengthen and increase the flexibility of the damaged muscle.
