Pulled a Muscle While Working Out? Here’s What You Can Do

One of the most important things you can do for your health is to incorporate an exercise routine into your daily life. An active lifestyle can help keep your body toned and fit as well as fight off potential health conditions.

Of course, when you are so active in your everyday life, you can easily pull a muscle. If this occurs while you’re working out, you can take steps to get much-needed relief.

Stop and Rest

The first thing you should do when you feel a muscle pull is to stop and rest immediately. While the pulled muscle may feel like it’s in one particular spot, it’s not that simple: usually, it involves a larger muscular area such as your back, groin, hamstrings or quadriceps.

You may also feel muscle spasms, stiffness, soreness, tenderness, or weakness in the affected area. There may be discomfort while walking, standing, or twisting as well. Assess the pain and stop for a well-deserved rest.

Try the I.C.E. Method

The I.C.E. method is highly recommended by experts when you suffer an injury. This acronym stands for the following: ice, compression, and elevation. Get a towel or clean cloth and wrap it around the ice to apply to the affected area. Use a compression wrap around the injured area and keep it elevated as well.

Using this method can ease muscle soreness and help to combat inflammation and get your blood flowing well. Although it’s not a complete solution for your pulled muscle, it can help you feel better for several hours or even days.

Avoid Stretching

Although some believe stretching can help soothe a pulled muscle, doing so can actually have the opposite effect and worsen the pain. You may resume only light stretching but only do so a few days after your injury. The best thing to do is to continue resting while you heal.

Look Out for Bruising or Lingering Pain

In most cases, a pulled muscle isn’t that serious. However, there may be extreme cases in which bruising, swelling, and lingering pain persist. Watch for these signs and report them to your doctor or physical therapist if you spot them. There may be a deeper problem at play.

For minor muscle soreness, you can look into CBD product bundles for sale to promote muscle recovery and help soothe the affected area. You can use a CBD lotion to massage muscles post-workout and a tincture for relaxation.

Take Time to Recover

Depending on the injury you have sustained, you need a certain length of time dedicated to your recovery. Muscle injuries vary depending on whether they are mere strains or something more serious, like ligament or tendon issues involving the muscle tearing away from the bone.

With mild injuries, you may need only a few weeks to recover. Meanwhile, more severe injuries can require months of recovery that include surgery and rehabilitation.

These are important steps to follow if you pull a muscle while working out. Follow through with all to ensure you can heal up properly and fully.