Muscle strains can happen anytime; you don’t have to be a professional athlete to pull a hamstring or tear a muscle. As a result, many wonder how to fix muscle strain and get back to their active lifestyle sooner.
Physiotherapy for muscle strain can relieve pain and discomfort. This post will explain the benefits of physiotherapy and how it helps you recover from muscle strains faster than the traditional rest and ice method.
What Is a Muscle Strain?
A muscle strain is when the muscle is stretched or forced beyond its capabilities. It is an injury due to an overexerted muscle or when the muscle fibres can’t keep up with the pressure or demands, resulting in tearing. A muscle strain can happen in multiple ways but often occurs when the muscle is overstretched.
The degree of muscle fibre tearing establishes how severe the injury is. In general, there are three grades:
- Mild – Minimal fibre rupture, with no loss of movement or strength
- Moderate – An evident fibre damage, severe pain, and loss of motion and strength
- Severe – Total rupture of the fibres, complete loss of function, and severe bruising
Where Does a Muscle Strain Occur?
Muscle tears can happen to any big or small muscle on your body. Any muscle is susceptible to strains, but like injuries, some muscle strains occur more often than others.
For example, the rotator cuff muscles and the biceps are most vulnerable to injuries in the upper body. In the lower body, strains usually occur within the calf and groin muscles, quadriceps, and hamstring. A physiotherapist will know how to fix muscle strain in these areas using different treatments and techniques.
How to Get Rid of a Muscle Strain: Consider a Physiotherapy Treatment
If you’re wondering how to treat a muscle strain quickly and efficiently, the solution lies in physiotherapy. Physiotherapy for a muscle strain reduces pain, decreases swelling and bruising, and encourages full recovery. While the recovery time for an acute inflammatory response is four to six weeks following the injury, you can expect a faster healing process and improvement with physiotherapy.
Before you start physiotherapy, a physiotherapist will examine your condition and discuss your medical history. During this time, it is essential to share as many details as possible so the physiotherapist can understand your symptoms.
After a physical examination to determine the level of your muscle injury, the physiotherapist will create a custom treatment plan to address your condition and long-term recovery goals. Based on your age and injury, the physiotherapist will select with you a treatment plan that will provide the best and fastest recovery times to care for your muscle, including:
- Medical acupuncture
- Hand on Therapy
- Individualized strength program
- Modalities: laser/ultrasound/stimulation
When Is It Time to Visit a Physiotherapist?
When it comes to knowing how to fix your muscle strain, it is essential to quickly start the RICE protocol (rest, ice, compress, and elevate the injured muscle) after a sports injury or accident. If the pain doesn’t subside after two days, it may be time to consider physiotherapy for your muscle strain.
At We-Fix-U, our physiotherapy professionals in Peterborough, Oshawa, Bowmanville, Port Hope and Cobourg offer various treatment options to help patients ease their symptoms and recover their mobility. Contact an experienced physiotherapist in Bowmanville today at (905) 373-7045 to book an appointment.
