Tips for treating strained muscles
Posted on August 7th, 2007 by annaPosted in Exercise
My good friend Serena called me in complete and utter pain this past week! Why? Because after 8 years away from the gym (and working out all together) she decided to sign up with a personal trainer at her hometown YMCA. The problem was, the trainer was a bit over-eager. She had Serena doing plyometric (jump-style) workouts that put a lot of pressure on her joints and muscles – ones she hadn’t used like that in years. My poor friend ended up with pulled muscles all over her lower half.
So what was my advice for my poor friend? Well let’s start by exploring what a muscle strain, is exactly. Muscles become strained when we over-exert a muscle (or in this case many muscles) that hasn’t been properly warmed up. Muscles are looser when their warm, so there is less chance of tearing or straining.
Heat is actually part of the remedy as well. To alliviate a strained muscle you need time to ease your way back in; however a warm bath with epsom salts followed by light stretching will help things along.
Anna’s 4 tips for strained muscles:
- Apply a heating pad or have a warm bath to loosen the muscles.
- Perform light stretches in the morning, mid-day and before bed.
- When you feel ready to resume exercise – start slow with low-impact exercises – like swimming, walking on a treadmill or elliptical trainer.
- ALWAYS stretch before and after exercising.
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