Muscle Strain - Prevention and Recovery Time
As we learned in "Muscle Strain – Symptoms and Self Care", a muscle strain is no walk in the park, nor should it be taken lightly. Even a little muscle soreness needs proper attention so you do not injure it worse. It many cases of a muscle strain, people don’t realize the extent of their injury because what starts as a small muscle pull can eventually tear if you continually add stress and pressure to the injury.
However, when the damage has already been done and treatment is in order, how do you know when it is safe to resume normal activity? Let’s break it down. In general, swelling and bruising should be almost completely subsided. You should feel stable enough to use the muscle in a light capacity. Any activity or movement that increases muscle pain should be restricted until the pain is nearly gone.
It is important to note that each injury will require a different amount of recovery time, so be patient. If it doesn’t feel right to do something, it probably isn’t. Use your instincts and best judgment. Go ahead, nurse yourself a little. No one else is going to! When I injured my groin, as much pain as I was in, I milked it for what it was worth. Spending some time vegging out on the couch – which is a rare occasion for me – really let my whole body take a breather. I caught up on all my favorite shows, ate lots of mint chocolate chip ice cream and had my little sister doing my homework – that last part might be a bit exaggerated, but you get the idea. These days, everyone is over worked, under paid, on the go, and never gets five minutes to sit, breathe, and relax. In the real world, you may not have a week to sit on the couch and be a bum, especially with three kids, two dogs, and a husband to keep track of, but remind yourself that you are only human, and if you are in pain, sore or just plain exhausted, don’t be afraid to call it a day. The world will not stop turning and cancer will not be cured in the 24 hour span that you shut down. So, take advantage and rest.
Another thing you can do in aiding your recovery is to drink a lot of water. Muscles are 80 percent water.
We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.
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