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A Comprehensive Guide To Muscle Strains And How To Treat Them

A muscle strain can be very painful and debilitating. Understanding the cause of muscle strains, what the treatment is and how to prevent them from happening again is important. This guide from the team at Dynamic Physical Therapy will help you go from amateur to pro in no time.

Common Causes of Muscle Strains

Check out the four most common causes of muscle strains:

  • Not warming up properly before physical activity
    • Performing warm-up exercises before engaging in more intense physical activity literally “warms up” the muscles, making them more flexible.
  • Poor mobility and flexibility
    • If you have poor mobility or flexibility, your muscles are tighter and become more susceptible to getting strained.
  • Poor conditioning and lack of consistent activity
    • If you start exercising again after taking a hiatus, make sure you ease back into it. Your muscles, which aren’t used to certain movements, will strain more easily if you push them too hard at first.
  • Not using proper gear for exercises or not wearing appropriate footwear while walking /running
  • Overexertion and fatigue
    • Muscles experience soreness and weakening when you overexert yourself or become fatigued, making them more likely to strain during.

How to treat, identify, and recover from a pulled calf muscle?

A pulled or strained calf muscle affects the muscles and tendons in the back of the lower leg.

A person may feel pain in the:

  • gastrocnemius muscle (upper mid calf)
  • soleus muscle (lower deep calf)
  • plantaris muscle (sole of foot)
  • Achilles tendon ( back of heel)

A strain refers to an injured muscle or tendon. Tendons are the cords of tissue that connect muscles to bones. A strain occurs when the fibers of the muscle or tendon partially tear.

The symptoms of a pulled calf muscle vary depending on the severity of the injury. Mild muscle strain can cause pain that feels similar to post-workout soreness.

A severe strain can cause intense, even debilitating, pain that can make walking difficult or impossible until the muscle heals.

Other symptoms of a strained calf muscle include:

  • swelling and redness
  • difficulty moving the leg and decreased mobility
  • weakness in the calf muscle
  • pain, particularly when trying to move the muscle

What Are the Symptoms of a Pulled or Strained Neck Muscle?

Beyond suffering from a stiff neck, experiencing any of the following four symptoms might mean that you have a muscle strain in the neck.

  • Pain in the back of the neck that worsens with movement
  • Pain that peaks a day or so after injury, rather than immediately
  • Muscle spasms in the shoulder and /or arm
  • Headache in the back of the head

How To Know if You Pulled or Strained a Back Muscle

These six signs will tell you if you have a muscle pull or strain in either the upper or lower back

  • Local swelling around the injured area
  • Muscle spasms
  • Intense and/or dull pain
  • Pain with specific movements (i.e. moving the head or neck)
  • Tightness or stiffness in the muscle
  • Pain relief in resting positions

5 Effective Ways to Treat Muscle Strains

  1. Rest: Believe it or not, one of the best treatments for muscle strains is rest. Resting gives a strained muscle adequate time to heal before you engage in further physical activity.
  2. Apple Ice: Applying ice to a strained muscle for 20 to 30 minutes several times a day reduces swelling and numbs any pain you have.
  3. Take an over the counter (OTC) pain reliever or anti-inflammatory medication This will reduce uncomfortable pain and swelling.
  4. Perform gentle stretches and light exercises to promote blood flow
    • Here are a few stretches and light exercises that can help promote blood flow:
      • Gentle calf stretches with use of a towel
      • Half Lunge
      • Gentle bending on sides
      • Downward dog posture
  5. Attend Physical Therapy: If you still experience pain after trying the four treatment methods listed above, try seeing a physical therapist. Physical therapy exercises help stretch out and strengthen the strained muscle to help it return to full function.

The Best Ways To Prevent Muscle Strains

Here are six simple ways to prevent muscle strains.

  • Warm-up before exercising
  • Consistent exercising
  • Stretch your muscles daily
  • Don’t overexert yourself
  • Eat high-potassium foods before exercising
  • Keep yourself well hydrated during exercises

How long to heal?

A person should talk with their physical therapist about how long it will take to recover from the strain. Recovery time can vary based on:

  • the grade or severity of the injury
  • how well a person can rest the muscle
  • a person’s adherence to the treatment plan

The average number of days a person has to sit out from a sport following a strain is about 1-2 weeks, with full recovery within 3-4 weeks. However, people with more severe injuries can take several months to fully recover.

When to contact a Physical Therapist?

Without treatment, a pulled muscle may recur or worsen over time.

Potential complications include:

  • formation of scar tissue
  • chronic pain or dysfunction in muscle
  • compartment syndrome
  • reinjury
  • formation of deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

Therefore, a person should seek medical attention shortly after sustaining an injury and begin resting the muscle immediately.

Other reasons to consider seeking medical attention for a pulled calf muscle include:

  • sustaining another significant injury
  • having little success with at-home treatments, such as resting, applying an ice pack, or using OTC pain relievers

Find Muscle Relief at Dynamic Physical Therapy

As a family-owned and operated outpatient physical therapy clinic, Dynamic Physical Therapy is committed to providing personalized care that will improve your quality of life. With exceptional care and superior customer service, our physical therapists help patients in Queens and Nassau return to normal activities feeling stronger than ever before.

If you’re ready to experience lasting muscle relief, request an appointment at Dynamic Physical Therapy today.

 

Jacqueline Granda

PT tech

Ms Jacqueline Granda has received medical assistant training and has been an integral part of our Dynamic family since the past 7 years. Ms Granda (Jackie) is a binding force for our younger staff members. Ms Granda is very graceful in her interactions with patients and colleagues alike and therefore she is well liked by all. Ms Granda genuinely believes Dynamic to be her second family. Outside work, Ms Granda enjoys walking and reading and she spends most of her time caring for her beloved family.

Zainab Ashgar

Receptionist

Ms Zainab Ashgar has joined our team recently for the past 3 months. She is very enthusiastic and eager to help patients. Ms Ashgar can cheer anyone up with her hearty conversations. Outside work, Zainab enjoys caring for her family and traveling.

Tahamina Afroze

PT tech

Ms Tahamina Afroze is a very conscientious staff who champions caring and compassion.

Jarin Rahman

PT tech

Ms Jarin Rahman joined our Dynamic team in the past 10 months. She brings the bilingual power to ease the apprehension of our patients from south east Asian backgrounds and has become a great team player.

Taslima Rehman

Receptionist

Ms Taslima Rahman grew up in Bangladesh and has a great command over connecting with people. Ms Rahman’s work ethic and smile is contagious and besides reception duties, she is the binding force for our staff since the past 2 years. Ms Rahman has great communication skills and she advocates for her patients tirelessly. Outside work, Ms Rahman is deeply involved in caring for her family and tries to catch up on some Television shows on weekends.

Jinu Susan Cherian

PTA

Ms Jinu Susan Cherian has received a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy and has clinical experience of 5 years. She has been a part of our Dynamic team since the past 1 ½ years and is a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant who brings a smile to every patient’s face. Outside her work, Jinu enjoys music, dancing and traveling.

Amarjot Kaur

Ms Amarjot Kaur has received a Bachelor’s in Physical Therapy and has clinical experience of 5 years. She has been a part of our Dynamic team since past 3 years and has a very caring approach for all her patients. Outside her work, Ms Kaur enjoys music and special productions.

Shweta Miglani

PT

Ms Shweta Miglani has clinical experience of 13 years and has been a part of our team at Dynamic since the past 2 years. Shweta has vast experience in outpatient Physical Therapy and has successfully run a private practice in India before moving to NY. She is a very caring clinician who loves talking – she can go on listening and talking to her patients all day long and deliver compassionate one on one care. She is a mother of a young boy but has energy to pursue her doctorate in Physical Therapy from University of Montana. Outside her work, Shweta loves reading, playing word games and sketching.

Mitsu Purohit

PT , MS, CES, PES

Mitsu is a master clinician who has been striving daily at Dynamic Physical Therapy since the past 5 plus years to leave a positive lasting impression on every patient she meets. She prides herself in working one on one with her patients and is known to develop meaningful and compassionate professional relationships. She has received a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy ( S.P university, India) followed by Masters in exercise kinesiology ( Long Island university , Brooklyn Campus ). Additionally, Ms Purohit is also a Certified Performance enhancement specialist (PES) & corrective exercise specialist ( CES) from National academy of sports medicine (NASM). In her spare time, Mitsu loves to travel and explore new places, new spicy food joints and is an avid music enthusiast. Her latest hobby includes calligraphy.

Rajeshwari Soni

Physical Therapist
Registered In Musculoskeletal Sonography

Rajeshwari Soni grew up in Mumbai, India. She completed her Bachelor’s in Physical Therapy from Pravara Medical Institute, India in 2007. She pursued her Master’s Degree in Kinesiology with a major in Biomechanics- clinical track in 2011 from Texas Woman University, Denton Texas.

She has been working as a licensed Physical Therapist in the state of New York since 2011 and during practice she realized that timely and accurate diagnosis helps in faster recovery of patients and improves functional prognosis. Rajeshwari has been an integral part of our team since the last 5 years. Since 2016, she is appropriately utilizing her diagnostic skills to help patients’ achieve their goals. She has an RMSK- Registered in Musculoskeletal Sonography from APCA (Alliance for Physician certification in advancement) certification and also practices EMG/NCV testing, of which she received certifications from HODS (Hands On Diagnostics). Outside of her work she enjoys time with her family, loves reading, fitness/working out and helping people.

Dr Kajal Jani, DPT RMSK

Doctor Of Physical Therapy
Registered In Musculoskeletal Sonography

Dr Kajal Jani grew up in Gujarat, India. She has clinical experience of 20 years and has served our community in New York in a variety of settings such as in-patient rehab, group home and outpatient rehab. Dr Jani has been a vital part of our Dynamic family since past 10 years and has mentored numerous staff members. Her compassion and work ethics have earned her a lot of respect from her patients and colleagues alike.Since 2016, she is appropriately utilizing her diagnostic skills to help patients’ achieve their goals. She has an RMSK- Registered in Musculoskeletal Sonographic from APCA (Alliance for Physician certification in advancement) certification and also practices EMG/NCV testing, of which she received certifications from HODS (Hands On Diagnostics). Outside of her work she enjoys time with her family, cooking and yes: kickboxing.

Dr Esha Desai, DPT

Doctor Of Physical Therapy
VP PR

Dr. Esha Desai has been practicing physical therapy for about 12 years and she has been a part of Dynamic Physical therapy for about 9 years now. She received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from The College of Saint Scholastica in September 2015 and Master’s degree in health administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University in September 2010. She is a specialist in Vestibular Rehab and is successfully treating vertigo and other balance related issues. Dr. Desai has a special interest in orthopedics, geriatric care and treatment of BPPV and other vestibular disorders involving imbalance and dizziness. Her patients regard her as a compassionate, kind, caring and knowledgeable professional. In her spare time, she loves cooking, reading and travelling with her family. Dr Desai is a proud mother of a 4 years old daughter and loves to spend time with her princess.