- Remedies for muscle strain
- Physiotherapy for muscle strain
- Ice and rest
- Physiotherapy and massage equipment
- Stretching and strengthening exercises
- Signs that may indicate excessive exercise
- Surgery for muscle strain
- Home treatment for muscle strain
- How long will the treatment take
- Signs of improvement and worsening
- Complications of muscle strain
The treatment for muscle strain, which consists of the rupture of the tendon that connects the muscle to the bone, or very close to the tendon, can be done through the application of ice in the first 48 hours after the injury and rest, and it may be necessary to use splints or crutches, for example.
As soon as possible, physiotherapy should be started so that rehabilitation can be carried out and the muscle can be restored, maintaining the quality of life, but initially the doctor can prescribe the use of analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce pain, discomfort, facilitating the healing of the lesion.
Remedies for muscle strain
The recommended remedies are anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Ibuprofen, under medical guidance. Applying Arnica or Cataflan ointment on the spot, in addition to reducing pain, decreases inflammation, being a good option to complement the treatment.
Physiotherapy for muscle strain
Physiotherapy sessions for the rehabilitation of a muscle strain should be done daily or on alternate days to facilitate recovery. The treatment must be personally indicated by the physiotherapist after an evaluation and observation of the exams requested by the doctor and may include the use of ice packs or heat, depending on the need, and the use of devices such as tension, ultrasound and laser, for example.
Ice and rest
In the first 48 hours after the injury, it is recommended to apply an ice pack for 20 minutes, 3 to 4 times a day. It is important to cover the ice with gauze, diaper or thin fabric to protect the skin from burns. It is also important to keep the affected joint higher than the rest of the body. So that the legs are affected, you can put ice and lie down with a pillow under the legs, so that the swelling will decrease.
In the first 6 days after the injury, it is not recommended to make any kind of effort and for this reason one should choose not to train and not to force the joint, keeping it at rest. It may be useful to bandage the area with gauze or use a splint, and when the injury is in the legs, walking with crutches may be indicated.
See more details in the video below:
Physiotherapy and massage equipment
At the beginning of each session, the physiotherapist may indicate the use of devices such as tension, ultrasound or laser, using the appropriate parameters to reduce pain and inflammation, helping with wound healing. The muscle relaxation massage is indicated to deflate and promote the emptying of the muscle, bringing relief from pain and symptoms, but it can also help to fight the muscular contracture that sets in.
Stretching and strengthening exercises
Stretching exercises should only be performed after 1 week of rest, taking care not to increase the pain. Initially it is better to be the physiotherapist to stretch the affected muscle, for 30 seconds to 1 minute, repeating at least 3 times. Muscle strengthening, on the other hand, can only be started when pain is minimal and initially it is recommended that they are isometric contractions, where no joint movement is observed, only muscle contraction.
As the symptoms improve, the exercises can progress, using elastic bands and then weights. In the last phase of treatment, joint stability exercises such as proprioception should be performed. See some examples here.
Signs that may indicate excessive exercise
Some signs that may indicate that the treatment is being very intense, which can also hinder the recovery from the injury, are:
- Pain after physical therapy that does not subside in 4 hours or does not disappear in 24 hours; Pain that starts earlier than in the previous session; Greater stiffness and decreased range of motion; Swelling, pain or heat in the affected region after exercise; Weakness muscle that sets in after the start of physiotherapy.
With the advancement of physiotherapy exercises it is normal to have an increase in pain, just as it happens after going to the gym, which lasts about 4 hours, but if the other signs are present, it is important to decrease the intensity of the treatment, decreasing the difficulty of the exercises.
Watch the following video and check out some tips on treating muscle strain:
Surgery for muscle strain
The doctor rarely advises surgery to repair muscle strain because normally the muscle and tendon recover completely with clinical and physiotherapeutic treatment, without requiring surgical intervention. Surgery is restricted to highly competitive athletes, when they undergo muscle strain very close to the dates of very important and urgent competitions.
Home treatment for muscle strain
To complement the clinical and physiotherapeutic treatment, the individual may, after 48 hours of the injury, apply warm compresses to the painful area twice a day, in addition to avoiding efforts and using an anti-inflammatory ointment in the region, with the knowledge of the doctor. Good examples are Cataflan or Calminex, for example.
See a good home remedy for muscle strain.
How long will the treatment take
The treatment time for muscle strain can be from 2 weeks to 6 months, depending on the degree of stretching. Muscle stretch injuries,
- Grade 1: it takes about 2 weeks to heal, Grade 2: it takes about 8 to 10 weeks to heal; Grade 3: it can take up to 6 months to 1 year to heal.
The more committed the patient is to treatment, the better the results will be, which is why it is important to follow all the doctor's and physiotherapist's guidelines for complete recovery. In any case, all lesions undergo the same healing process: Initial, there is more inflammation and lasts for about 6 days, Subacute phase: The inflammation decreases and repair begins, this phase can last up to 6 weeks and in the maturation and remodeling phase, there is no pain, only limited movement, and can last from 6 months to 1 year.
Signs of improvement and worsening
The signs of improvement can be reduced swelling, pain and reduced bruising. When the individual is able to move the region affected by the injury with less pain and is able to perform a muscle contraction, even if slight, this may indicate recovery from the stretch.
Complications of muscle strain
Complications of muscle distension can be an increase in the difficulty of healing, permanence of pain and a decrease in strength and range of motion, which can be very harmful for competitive athletes, and for this reason the treatment must be carried out according to the orthopedist's guidelines. and the physical therapist.
Here are some examples of resources that can be performed in physical therapy:
