Muscle Tear Recovery

What is a Muscle Tear?

A muscle tear or muscle strain is a painful injury to the muscle tissue, according to emedicinehealth.com. This injury can occur during vigorous activity such as sports, or it can be caused by a small deviation in your simple day-to-day motions. Muscle tears cause bruising, inflammation and pain. You might find it difficult to perform normally with a torn muscle.

According to Sports-Injury-Info.com, the RICE method is the proper mode of treatment for the first 24 to 48 hours following your muscle injury. The acronym stands for rest, ice, compress and elevate. The instructions are easy enough. Apply ice to the injury to reduce swelling and inflammation. Compress the injury with a bandage to further reduce the swelling. Elevate the area to drain blood and lymph, which also helps prevent swelling. You should also refrain from using the torn muscle as much as possible.

In the weeks after a muscle injury, you can take over-the-counter painkillers to combat discomfort and swelling. You should stretch the affected muscle to help it heal properly. Simple range-of-motion techniques applied to the affected area will also promote healthy muscle repair. Be sure to resume normal activity gradually, so as not to cause further injury.

Massage therapy promotes healthy muscle healing by bringing blood to the area, draining lymph fluids and promoting an overall decrease in stress. The massage therapist can perform strokes such as cross-fiber friction that access the specific muscle. Massage will break up any adhesions that form in the muscle during recovery, and will help minimize scar tissue.

Before treating your torn muscle, be sure to talk to a medical professional. She will be able to help you determine which muscle is injured, and prescribe a course of treatment that will not aggravate the condition. Improper massage or stretches can further injure a torn muscle, so be sure to get your doctor's permission before applying these techniques.