Muscle Strain

A muscle strain, or pulled muscle, occurs when your muscle is overstretched. This usually occurs as a result of a quick explosive movement, fatigue, overuse, or improper use of a muscle. Strains can happen in any muscle, but they’re most common in your legs, lower back, and neck. Occasionally there will be bruising over the area of a pulled muscle.

Early treatment of muscle strains traditionally followed the RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) model.  That has been tweaked recently to MICE (movement, ice, compression, elevation).  Movement within someone’s tolerance in the early phases of recovery is important for regaining function, limiting scar tissue, and flushing out swelling.  Some studies have found alternating ice with heat in what is called “contrast therapy” to be helpful.

The greatest predictor of injury is previous injury.  A proper rehabilitation plan will help prepare the body against the possibility of further injury.

Our Approach to Treating Muscle Strains

Many people in Charlotte have found muscle strain relief through chiropractic, manual therapy, and corrective exercise here at TruMotion Therapy.  Since each person is unique, an individual approach is taken with each patient.  Listed below is our general approach at providing muscle strain relief.

• Reduce pain and inflammation. This can be accomplished with laser therapy, gentle soft tissue work, and kinesiology taping.
• Loosen the joints around the strained muscle. Chiropractic adjustments are effective at restoring proper mobility in stuck joints, which can improve muscle function.
• Corrective exercise and stretches help restore balance and alignment in the body to help ease pain and prevent it from recurring.

If you live in or around the Charlotte area and strained a muscle, click here to work with our team and begin finding relief.