Image Credit: OrthoBethesda
Article Author: Gordon Slater| Tandose Sambo
What is a muscle strain?
The body, like all other mechanical mechanisms, works best when it operates within certain critical boundaries. When the body is overworked or overexerted, you can induce the onset of injuries. A muscle strain is an injury that results from overexerting a muscle, and the result is either an overstretching, or complete tearing of the muscle.
The severity of the muscle strain will determine the treatment plan that will be required for healing. Muscle strains are very common. Many athletes, dancers and generally active people have experienced muscle strain at some point. Once a proper understanding of how the body works is mastered, it is possible to prevent muscle strains. As long as the body isn’t put into excessive shock without a prior warm up, the body should be able to operate just fine.
What are the symptoms of muscle strain?
The most notable indication of muscle strain is the feeling of a popping sensation in the site of the strain. This is usually indicating that the muscle is giving way after being overworked. In the case of foot and ankle conditions, the sensations are usually experienced in the ankle region. The strain can occur either in the lower ankle region, or the high ankle region. The classification of the ankle strain is determined by the range of motion that induced the condition. After the stress, there is the onset of pain. Consultation with an orthopaedic specialist will determine the treatment path that will enable the optimum recovery.
What is the best treatment plan for muscle strain?
While there are some acute orthopaedic conditions that you can treat at home, it is advised that you seek medical care if you suspect that you may have a muscle sprain. The correct diagnosis of your sprain will ensure that you are able to alleviate your pain, minimise further damage to the muscle, and regain full use of the body after healing. What you want is to ensure that you don’t have a recurrent experience and repeat the injury via further straining the weakened site. Where possible, you must pause physical activity and rest. In more severe cases of muscle strain, such as a tear, a surgical procedure will be required.
Pain is the first sign that there is a problem in the body. Once the strain is diagnosed, your orthopaedic specialist will put you on a pain management plan, in order to ensure that you are more comfortable as you heal. Over the counter drugs are prescribed in instances of acute sprains, and stronger prescription painkillers are prescribed in the case of more severe cases.
Physical therapy as a treatment, is incorporated once the preliminary treatment has begun.
What critical supplies can you have on hand to manage a muscle sprain?
Minor muscle strains can be treated at home, and require supplies that you can get from your local pharmacy or in your own home. These include: towels, ice for soothing the area, compression bandages, pillows for elevating the legs and supporting mechanisms such as a brace or crutches.
Applying the RICE method
The RICE method stands for:
Rest, Ice , Compression , Elevation of the foot
The RICE method is one of the standard orthopaedic treatment conditions for muscle strain. It is a treatment that is used as a countermeasure once a muscle strain has occurred. For the more seasoned active persons, preventative methods are utilised in order to prevent muscle strain.
Prevention always preserves the health of the body. By taking the time to heal, incorporating proper warm up exercises into your regime, and strengthening the body via activities such as weightlifting, and having a good diet, you can keep your body in great shape.
If you are in doubt, you can consult with your orthopaedic specialist. They will be able to guide you to the right regime that will keep you in optimum health.
Article Reference:
Healthline: Muscle Strain