What Happens When You Pull A Muscle?

Pulled muscles are frustrating.

You never know when they might occur, and how much they’ll affect your mobility.

They often occur suddenly.

Maybe you picked up a box while moving that was too heavy for you or dove for a frisbee and landed in just the wrong spot.

Other times they develop gradually.

Some people experience pulled muscles from something they do every day.

For example, many people with office jobs must sit in an uncomfortable chair that promotes bad posture for hours each day.

Over time, this bad posture can gradually create more and more strain in your muscles.

No matter the cause of your pulled muscle, you’ll want to heal it as quickly as possible.

You might’ve checked out our blog in hopes of finding solutions for your pesky pulled muscle symptoms.

If so, you’ve come to the right place.

Here at Capitol Physical Therapy, we’re well versed in the nuances of sports medicine physical therapy.

Depending on your injury, we may recommend heat and cold therapy, dry needling, or other physical therapy techniques to get you back on your feet.

But in the meantime, let’s take a look at what a pulled muscle actually is.

What Is A Pulled Muscle?

A pulled muscle occurs when you experience an injury to your muscle or tendon.

You might’ve heard some people refer to it as a muscle strain.

These two terms are interchangeable.

Your tendons are the tissues that attach your muscles to your bones.

These types of injuries range in severity.

For instance, some people experience a small muscle strain, such as when they stretch their muscles a bit too much.

However, more severe muscle strains may result in muscle tears.

Tears can be either partial or complete, which would indicate the severity of your injury.

So, what’s the difference between muscle sprains and muscle strains?

While the terms muscle strains and pulled muscles refer to the same injury, it’s important to note that they differ from sprains.

Sprains affect the tendons and muscles that connect two or more of your bones together, while strains or pulled muscles describe injuries to just one part of muscle or tendon.

Your lower back and your hamstrings (the muscles in the back of your legs) are especially prone to muscle strain.

RELATED ARTICLE: Physical Therapy For Repetitive Strain Injury

What Causes A Pulled Muscle?

According to Hospital for Special Surgery, strains typically occur when you place more demand on your muscles than they can handle.

Lifting objects is a common example.

For instance, say you go to lift something that’s too heavy for you, or you lift something from the wrong position, and then you feel your leg or back protest.

Your ankles, hands, and elbows are also prone to pulled muscles, especially if you participate in activities such as contact sports.

Sometimes, you might suddenly develop a pulled muscle from pushing yourself too far.

We call these types of injuries acute strains.

You could also pull a muscle from overuse if you’re doing a motion that’s very repetitive.

Chronic strains refer to pulled muscles following these types of repetitive motions or injuries.

Poor posture is a major culprit for muscle tension.

Thus, poor posture and not warming up properly before and after your workouts can also cause pulled muscles.

Fortunately, physical therapy can help you improve your posture and subsequently prevent these types of injuries.

RELATED ARTICLE: Physical Therapy For Rounded Shoulders (“Mom Posture”)

How Do You Know If You Pulled A Muscle?

The symptoms of a pulled muscle will differ depending on the severity of the strain.

You will probably notice varying degrees of tenderness or pain as well as limited range of motion.

Redness and bruising might also occur, along with swelling and muscle spasms.

Muscle weakness is also a sign that you might have pulled something.

Essentially, you’d have trouble using the injured muscle, and you’d notice pain both when it’s in motion and when it’s at rest.

What To Do If You Pulled A Muscle?

If you’re someone who is prone to pulling muscles, or if you’ve recently gotten a nastier strain than you’re used to, you’ll want to know what you can do to feel better.

Luckily, there are a lot of physical therapy pain management methods to help you recover from a pulled muscle.

From heat therapy to medication to physical therapy, let’s talk about what you can do.

1. Use RICE

RICE is one of the best intervention methods for pulled muscles.

It’s an acronym that stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.

• Rest: keep your muscle rested for a few days by not using it
• Ice: this can reduce inflammation, so apply ice for up to 20 minutes every hour or so
• Compression: wrapping your muscle, as long as it’s not too tight, can help reduce the swelling
• Elevation: keep your affected muscle elevated above the level of your heart to help reduce the swelling

2. Heat Therapy

After about three days, using a heating pad a few times a day can help with your pulled muscle.

Make sure you’re not applying heat directly to your skin, which can cause damage.

If you’re unsure, wrap your heating pad in a towel to keep your skin safe while soothing your pulled muscle.

3. Anti Inflammatory Medication

Pain relieving medication with a focus on anti inflammatory effects may help you as you recover from your pulled muscle.

This won’t just reduce your pain but the swelling you’re experiencing as well.

Make sure you’re always following the medication’s instructions for quantity so that you don’t accidentally overdo it.

As well, follow your physician’s instructions.

If they advise you to avoid anti inflammatory medication, listen to them.

RELATED ARTICLE: Physical Therapy vs Opioids For Chronic Pain Relief

How Can A Physical Therapist Help A Pulled Muscle?

Your physical therapist will have a lot of ideas about how to help you with your pulled muscles, based on your level of pain and mobility.

First, they’ll come up with exercises that target the affected muscle(s).

They’ll also find exercises to focus on the surrounding muscles, because building up strength in that surrounding area can facilitate the healing of the affected muscle.

Your physical therapist might use techniques to mobilize your soft tissue.

This helps break up any tissue that might be fibrous or have scarring.

They’ll also be able to recommend ice or heat and help you navigate when to use which.

Physical therapy will have the goal of getting you back on your proverbial (or actual) feet while making sure you remain as mobile as possible while you’re healing.

Your physical therapist will even work with you on techniques for preventing future strains.

Book Your Appointment With Our Physical Therapy Clinic Today

Pulled muscles can be painful, limiting, and all too common but the right support can make a big difference in how quickly and safely you recover.

At Capitol Physical Therapy, we offer personalized treatment plans to reduce pain, restore strength, and help you regain confidence in your movement.

Whether your strain was caused by a sudden injury or repetitive overuse, our experienced team will guide your healing every step of the way.

Don’t let a pulled muscle slow you down.

Book your appointment with Capitol Physical Therapy today and take the first step toward lasting relief.