How To Treat A Torn Muscle

Torn muscle can be a partial or full rupturing of the muscle, caused due to overexertion of a particular muscle during a direct injury or exercising or undergoing strenuous sports activity. This muscle tear can be mild, moderate or severe and pain is the first signal of all. Under severe muscle tear, the muscle becomes immobile and stiff but under a moderate injury, it becomes swollen and sore. Usually, tore muscles take a long duration to heal but with use of certain home solutions, healing process can be speedup and muscles get cured more quickly.

Torn muscle can be due to first degree strain that cause tearing of less than 5 percent of the total muscle and results in mild pain, without losing muscular strength or motion. It could also be caused by second degree strain where a partial tear occurs accompanied with mild pain, on every contraction of muscle. One may lose ability to stand or walk without limping or experiences immense pain. The third degree tear is the worst of all, where tearing happens all throughout the muscle width, disabling the muscle to contract at all. Such severe form of tear can only be treated with an immediate surgical intervention as it is usually accompanied by internal bleeding. For the first two forms of muscle tear, one can perform simple measures to treat and heal it quickly.

Useful Ways To Cure A Torn Muscle

Relax And No Massaging

The best cure is to relax back and avoid a regular routine to heal the torn muscle faster. Till the time torn muscle is fully recovered, refrain from putting more strain over it and avoid exercising. If really required to use the torn muscle, stretch it slowly and then allow it to relax.

Massaging or rubbing the torn muscle area is not at all advisable as it will only worsen the condition and delay in recovering process of the muscle. First three days, one ought to be most careful by avoiding any sort of undue pressure over the torn muscle.

Use An Ice Pack

Application of ice pack over the torn muscle region for just 20 minutes at every alternate hour helps to reduce the blood flow to the injured area. This ice application needs to be performed before 72 hours have passed since the injury. Ice pack can also be made by wrapping 8 to 10 ice pieces in a hand towel.

Do not put ice pack every hour and give some recovery time to the healing muscle. Never apply heat over the torn region as that fastens the blood flow, aggravating the problem and hindering the healing process of torn muscle. After 72 hours have passed, apply ice for 15 minutes, repeating for 4 times in a day. Then after continuing with ice treatment for 3 days, perform an alternate ice and heat application.

Wrapping With ACE Bandage

Wrap an ACE bandage (elastic wrap and compression bandage) around torn muscle area, but tie it carefully for support and avoid it to be very tight. This aids in putting compression over the torn muscle region.

While muscles are being supported, do not lean over it and over exert it. Torn muscle must be kept elevated above the heart.

Slow Stretching

Perform gentle and slow stretching of the torn muscle region and when experience intense pain, discontinue stretching. Perform stretching again after a while.

Slower stretching aids in quick healing of torn muscle, without it getting worse. Overstretched muscles can take more than usual healing time for muscles to get recovered.

Physical Therapy

Torn muscles are prone to more tearing and therefore physical therapy must be performed to build up strength of torn muscle and avoid further tearing.

Physical therapy offers a properly monitored program that analysis the progress of muscle strength and offers therapy in accordance to rate of recovery, allowing quick healing without any aggravating the situation.

Give Time

Nothing can bring an instant relief to a torn muscle and one has to give sufficient recuperation time for the muscle to get healed completely. On the contrary, complete sedentary days should not be encouraged as moving muscles and joints prevent atrophy, stiffening and weakness.

Light activity can be done by first warming up with little stretches, once pain gets adequately managed. For extreme pain relief, make use of pain medications like Tylenol.

Proper Diet

Intake lots of fluids and consume plenty of proteins, good fats and carbohydrates to get enough fuel that helps in regaining muscular strength that in turn support in speedy recovery of the tore muscle.