How long does it take for a pulled muscle to heal?

How long does it take for a pulled muscle to heal?

For a mild strain, you may be able to return to normal activities within three to six weeks with basic home care. For more severe strains, recovery can take several months. In severe cases, surgical repair and physical therapy may be necessary. With proper treatment, most people recover completely.

How do you tell if you’ve pulled a muscle?

Check if you have a sprain or strain

  1. you have pain, tenderness or weakness – often around your ankle, foot, wrist, thumb, knee, leg or back.
  2. the injured area is swollen or bruised.
  3. you cannot put weight on the injury or use it normally.
  4. you have muscle spasms or cramping – where your muscles painfully tighten on their own.

Is it good to stretch a pulled muscle?

Are you dealing with an injury from muscle strain? If so, you need to stretch those muscles out! Not stretching properly before being active may make your muscles work too hard and cause injury. When you stretch an injured area, you can increase blood flow and help your tissues heal faster.

What relieves a pulled muscle?

Continued

  • Protect the strained muscle from further injury.
  • Rest the strained muscle.
  • Ice the muscle area (20 minutes every hour while awake).
  • Compression can be gently applied with an Ace or other elastic bandage, which can both provide support and decrease swelling.
  • Elevate the injured area to decrease swelling.

What is the first aid for muscle strain?

For immediate self-care of a muscle strain, try the R.I.C.E. approach — rest, ice, compression, elevation: Rest. Avoid activities that cause pain, swelling or discomfort.

What should you do if you have a pulled muscle?

When you strain a muscle, stop doing the activity that caused it to be strained. Pulled muscles are actually rips in muscle fibers, and further exertion could cause the tear to grow larger and lead to a serious injury.

How to treat a muscle strain at home?

For immediate self-care of a muscle strain, try the R.I.C.E. approach — rest, ice, compression, elevation: 1 Rest. Avoid activities that cause pain, swelling or discomfort… 2 Ice. Even if you’re seeking medical help, ice the area immediately… 3 Compression. To help stop swelling, compress the area with an elastic bandage until…

What kind of muscle strain is a pulled muscle?

A muscle strain, also called a pulled muscle, occurs when a muscle is stretched too far, and microscopic tears occur within the muscle fibers. Common muscle strains include pulled hamstrings, groin strains, and calf strains. Jeannot Olivet / Getty Images

When to apply heat to a pulled muscle?

At first, it’s best to ice the area, which will help reduce pain and swelling. As you recover, such as around the 3rd or 4th day, you can apply heat. If your pain is moderate or intense, you can continue to use ice.