Muscle strains typically take place when too much stress has been applied to a muscle. This stress causes it to become overstretched or torn. If you’ve experienced a muscle injury in the past, you’re probably familiar with symptoms such as soreness, decreased range of movement, swelling, stiffness, and other uncomfortable feelings. The last thing you want to do is re-injure your muscle and go through all the pain and hassle of re-healing. To learn how to prevent re-injuring a muscle, continue reading.
Address the cause
Without first addressing the cause of your initial muscle strain, it’s difficult to prevent experiencing another in the future. Common causes of muscle strain may include overuse, improper use, or fatigue. Poor posture or sitting in one position for too long can also place pressure on the muscles in your back and cause strain. After addressing the cause of your injury, try to avoid such behavior to prevent future strains.
Take it slowly
After the pain caused by a strained muscle subsides, many people make the mistake of rushing back into their previous habits. However, just because symptoms go away doesn’t mean that the injury is completely healed or that the muscle is strong enough to withstand increased strain. Further, your body might not have the same range of motion that it used to, which may increase your risk of future strains. As such, it’s important to slowly ease back into physical activity following a strain.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy is one of the best ways to prevent re-injuring the same muscle. Such therapy can help you strengthen the previously injured area to decrease the likelihood that it will get hurt again. If you’ve participated in a physical therapy program to heal your strained muscle in the past, it’s a good idea to continue going to sessions.
Stay active
While overactivity may have been the initial cause of your strain, it’s important not to become completely sedentary after an injury. After taking time to rest initially, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is essential to prevent future injury. As such, you should try to do low-impact exercises and stretch regularly to keep your muscles strong and flexible. Doing so will make them less likely to become strained.
If you’re recovering from a muscle strain or trying to prevent future injury, our services at Libertyville Wellness Group can help. Our physical therapy and rehabilitation services are specially designed to reduce pain, increase flexibility, and lessen the risk of future injury. In addition, our Libertyville chiropractors can also help minimize pain during the recovery process. For more information regarding our services, contact us today.
