Muscle strain is an injury that occurs when a muscle becomes overstretched or has to work too hard. A muscle strain can also be an injury to a muscle or a tendon. Minor injuries over-stretches a muscle or tendon, whereas severe injuries can result in partial or complete tearing of these tissues. Strains are also termed as muscle pulls and mostly occur in lower back and hamstrings (back of the thigh).
Initial treatment to get rid of a muscle strain includes rest, ice, compression, and elevation. You can easily treat mild strains at home. However, severe strains sometimes require surgical repair.
Mentioned below are few symptoms of muscle strain-
Symptoms
Signs of a muscle sprain varies depending on the severity of the injury, and may include:
- Muscle spasms
- Swelling
- Limited motion
- Pain or tenderness
- Redness or bruising
Muscle weakness
Causes
Muscle strain can be caused due to several reasons. An acute sprain can happen if you use poor body posture to lift something heavy whereas a chronic muscle strain can occur due to repetitive injuries and putting a lot of stress on the affected muscle group times and again.
Risk factors
There's a higher chance of getting a muscle strain if you participate or play contact sports like soccer, football, hockey, boxing, and wrestling. Certain body parts are more likely to get muscle pulls while playing a particular game. Let's understand this with the help of these examples-
- Hands- When you participate in gripping sports like golf, batting(cricket), gymnastics, rope yoga, etc. the risk of muscle strains in your hands' increases.
- Elbows- Participating in throwing sports and racquet sports can cause elbow muscle strain.
Legs and ankles- Sports that are particularly tough on the Achilles tendon in your ankle can cause legs and ankle sprains. These sports include quick starts and jumping, such as hurdling and basketball.
Prevention
To prevent muscle strain, you should start with regular stretching and strengthening exercises, especially before indulging into any sport, fitness, or work activity. Stretching can help you to a great extent to minimize your risk of muscle strains. However, if you have a physically demanding job, regular conditioning can help prevent injuries.
This guidance mentioned below can help you prevent muscle strains:
- Follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly to maintain a normal weight. Being overweight puts additional stress on the muscles, thereby making muscle strains more likely to happen.
- Lift heavy items with care by using the correct technique. It is important to lift with the legs rather than putting all the pressure over the back. Also, you should carry any heavy loads with the torso to avoid straining the arm or back muscles.
Wear shoes that provide stability and walk at a moderate speed for 3 to 5 minutes before performing any sports or other physical activities. Warming up the muscles and preparing them before indulging in physical activity increases your intensity to act.
Intense muscle can result in severe pain, which can lead to hospitalization. We suggest you take all the precautions mentioned above and
buy a health insurance policy to stay prepared in the time of need. A health insurance policy acts as a financial cushion in case of a medical emergency.
Stay Prepared, Stay Worry-Free!
