How to Treat a Strained Muscle
Even heroes get injured. The goal is to get back to adventuring as soon as possible.
Introduction
Whether it’s from an acute injury or overuse, muscle strains are one of the most common injuries I treat as a physical therapist. While rest is important in the early stages of recovery, we need to define what rest really means. It is not being sedentary. Rather, it is utilizing the LOVE and PEACE principle as a guide to getting back to baseline. The biggest components of this principle is the essential focusing on restoring both range of motion (ROM) and strength.
In this post, I’ll explain why working on these two components is key to effectively recovering from a muscle strain and preventing future injuries.
What is a Muscle Strain?
A muscle strain, commonly referred to as a pulled muscle, occurs when the fibers of the muscle are overstretched or torn. This can happen suddenly from an accident or quick stop, or as a result of repetitive motion over time. Symptoms typically include pain, swelling, muscle weakness, and limited movement of the affected area.
The PEACE and LOVE Principle (What Rest Really Means)
Instead of the traditional R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation), the PEACE and LOVE principle is a more evidence-based approach to managing a muscle strain, especially in the initial phase of recovery.
PEACE stands for:
Protection: In the early stages, you want to protect the injured area from further harm. This could mean avoiding certain movements that exacerbate pain and using supportive devices like braces or wraps.
Elevation: Elevating the injured area helps reduce swelling by allowing fluids to drain away from the site of injury.
Active Rest: Unlike complete rest, active rest involves gentle movement that promotes blood flow without overloading the injured muscle. This is key in preventing stiffness. Another component is that it builds hope and confidence that this is a temporary set back to normal training and life.
Compression: Applying compression (with a bandage or wrap) can help reduce swelling and provide support, but it should never be too tight as to restrict circulation.
Education: Educating the patient about how to care for the injury, what movements to avoid, and when to seek additional help is vital in ensuring proper recovery.
Once the acute phase of injury has passed, the LOVE principle comes into play:
LOVE stands for:
Load: This involves gradually reintroducing load to the injured muscle. Instead of complete rest, the muscle should be gently loaded with light, controlled activities to promote healing and strength building.
Optimize: This means optimizing your movement patterns to ensure that healing happens in a way that avoids compensations or stress on other areas of the body.
Vascularization: Gentle cardiovascular activity helps improve circulation, which in turn speeds up healing by delivering oxygen and nutrients to the affected tissues.
Exercise: Finally, specific strengthening exercises are essential to rehabilitate the muscle, increase stability, and prevent future injuries.
This approach not only helps with pain management but also sets the stage for long-term recovery by focusing on rehabilitation and preventing re-injury. The goal is to make you stronger than you were before you got hurt.
Range of Motion: Why It's Essential for Healing
Range of motion refers to the ability of a joint or muscle to move through its full, natural range. After a muscle strain, the affected muscle may become stiff, shortened, or have limited flexibility, leading to restricted movement. This can contribute to discomfort and delay recovery.
Here’s why working on ROM is crucial:
Prevents Stiffness: After an injury, the body often responds by tightening muscles and tissues around the injured area to protect it. Without intervention, this can lead to chronic stiffness and reduced mobility.
Reduces Pain: Restoring the full range of motion can reduce tension in the injured muscle and surrounding tissues, leading to less pain and discomfort during daily activities.
Promotes Healing: Gentle, controlled movement encourages blood flow to the injured area, which speeds up the healing process by delivering oxygen and nutrients that are essential for tissue repair.
Strengthening: Building the Muscle Back to Full Function
Once the pain from the strain has decreased and mobility improves, strengthening the muscle becomes the next step in the rehabilitation process. Strengthening exercises are important because they help rebuild the muscle’s ability to handle stress and prevent re-injury.
Here’s why strengthening is key:
Restores Stability: A muscle strain can weaken the affected muscle, making it less able to stabilize joints and support movements. Strengthening the muscle helps restore its ability to provide stability and prevent compensatory movements that could lead to further injury.
Prevents Future Injuries: A properly strengthened muscle has more capacity and is more resilient and less likely to be injured in the future. Without adequate strength, muscles are prone to re-straining, especially during physical activities that require sudden movements or heavy lifting.
Improves Performance: Strengthening doesn’t just reduce the risk of injury; it also enhances overall function. By rebuilding strength, you can return to sports, work, or recreational activities with improved performance, as the muscle will be able to handle more intense movements.
The Synergy Between ROM and Strengthening
Range of motion and strengthening exercises work together to ensure a full recovery. Without improving ROM, your muscles might remain tight and restrict movement, which can affect the quality of your strengthening exercises. On the other hand, strengthening exercises can increase the load on the muscle too quickly if range of motion isn't restored first, possibly leading to re-injury.
The goal of rehabilitation is to restore both the flexibility and strength of the affected muscle gradually. Physical therapy exercises that address both of these components will help you move more freely, strengthen the muscles and joints, and reduce the likelihood of future injuries.
Key Takeaways
Don’t Rush Recovery: While rest is important initially, pushing too hard too soon can lead to re-injury. Focus on gently restoring mobility and then building strength in a controlled manner.
Work With a Professional: A physical therapist can help guide your rehabilitation process by assessing your individual needs, recommending appropriate exercises, and monitoring your progress.
Stay Consistent: Recovery from a muscle strain takes time, but staying consistent with your exercises will help you regain full function and prevent future injuries.
Conclusion
Muscle strains are common, but with the right rehabilitation approach, you can fully recover and return to your usual activities. Range of motion exercises will help restore flexibility and reduce stiffness, while strengthening exercises will rebuild muscle stability and reduce the risk of re-injury. By working on both, you’ll set yourself up for long-term recovery and health.
If you’re struggling with a muscle strain, don’t hesitate to seek guidance from a physical therapist who can help you develop a tailored rehabilitation plan that incorporates both ROM and strengthening exercises.
If you want to see some of the things we recommend in order to build back your range of motion and strength, please check out our Recommended Products page!