1. See a Doctor<\/span><\/h3>\nBefore you decide to go back to the gym, you should consult with a medical professional first. This should be your first step when dealing with any injury. No one knows your body like you do so it’s important to get professional advice beyond what you can find online.<\/p>\n
Despite the available resources we have online, it is still vital to seek professional medical advice.<\/p>\n
Your doctor should be the one to decide whether you should take medication, continue resting, or if you\u2019re good to go back to the gym.<\/p>\n
2. R.I.C.E.<\/span><\/h3>\n![\"R.I.C.E.](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vshred.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/hand-wrap-Strained-Muscle.jpg?resize=625%2C417&ssl=1\")
\nTo easily remember what you need to do after getting a strained muscle, just remember the acronym R.I.C.E. Take note: we\u2019re not talking about the carbohydrate-packed food extender we avoid when we\u2019re trying to lose weight.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re talking about rest, ice, compression, and elevation. The moment you pull a muscle, the first thing you need to do to lessen the potential damage to your body is to apply R.I.C.E.<\/p>\n
Rest:<\/strong> After getting a strained muscle, immediately stop whatever exercise you are doing. Please do not attempt to \u201cshrug off\u201d the pain. Elevate the injured body part above your heart to reduce swelling.<\/p>\nIce:<\/strong> While your strained muscle is elevated, have a friend, trainer, or partner ice your injured body part.<\/p>\nIf no one is around at the time then you have to do it yourself. As soon as you get home, you need to ice your strained muscle for at least 15 minutes every two hours every day.<\/p>\n
Compression:<\/strong> Use an ACE wrap or a compression garment to efficiently compress and squeeze out any excess blood out of the area.<\/p>\nYou should continue to compress your strained muscle for at least a week.<\/p>\n
Elevation:<\/strong> It is important to elevate your injured body part continuously during your recovery.<\/p>\nCombine the three former elements with elevation to speed up your recovery and lessen the damages.<\/p>\n
3. Stretching and Rolling a Strained Muscle<\/span><\/h3>\n![\"Stretching](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vshred.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/arm-stretch-Strained-Muscle.jpg?resize=625%2C417&ssl=1\")
\nMany people attempt to stretch or use a foam roller on their sprained muscle.<\/p>\n
However, it is vital that you do not stretch your strained muscle shortly after you pulled it. In fact, doing so will only delay your recovery since you\u2019re not giving it enough time to knit back together.<\/p>\n
Tip:<\/strong> If your strained muscle is only a minor injury, you can gently massage it with a foam roller a few days after pulling it. Just remember to continuously apply R.I.C.E.<\/p>\n4. Learn From Your Mistake<\/span><\/h3>\n![\"Learn](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vshred.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/leg-push-Strained-Muscle.jpg?resize=625%2C415&ssl=1\")
\nWhether you were trying to beat your previous PR or simply had bad form, you should learn from your mistake<\/a> so you don\u2019t pull a muscle again.<\/p>\nPulling a muscle is not uncommon. However, if you don\u2019t figure out the cause of this injury,<\/a> then it may lead to something more serious than a strained muscle.<\/p>\nTip:<\/strong> Once you get back to the gym, you should avoid putting a heavy load on your body. Remember that you just got injured and may still be recovering.<\/p>\nFor example, if you pulled a muscle while weightlifting, then you can try doing some cardio or bodyweight exercises<\/a> first before going back to your original routine.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Many gym-goers get a strained muscle because they don\u2019t know the proper workout form. Check out this video from V Shred to learn how you can squat without back pain:<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nTo easily remember what you need to do after getting a strained muscle, just remember the acronym R.I.C.E. Take note: we\u2019re not talking about the carbohydrate-packed food extender we avoid when we\u2019re trying to lose weight.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re talking about rest, ice, compression, and elevation. The moment you pull a muscle, the first thing you need to do to lessen the potential damage to your body is to apply R.I.C.E.<\/p>\n
Rest:<\/strong> After getting a strained muscle, immediately stop whatever exercise you are doing. Please do not attempt to \u201cshrug off\u201d the pain. Elevate the injured body part above your heart to reduce swelling.<\/p>\n Ice:<\/strong> While your strained muscle is elevated, have a friend, trainer, or partner ice your injured body part.<\/p>\n If no one is around at the time then you have to do it yourself. As soon as you get home, you need to ice your strained muscle for at least 15 minutes every two hours every day.<\/p>\n Compression:<\/strong> Use an ACE wrap or a compression garment to efficiently compress and squeeze out any excess blood out of the area.<\/p>\n You should continue to compress your strained muscle for at least a week.<\/p>\n Elevation:<\/strong> It is important to elevate your injured body part continuously during your recovery.<\/p>\n Combine the three former elements with elevation to speed up your recovery and lessen the damages.<\/p>\n However, it is vital that you do not stretch your strained muscle shortly after you pulled it. In fact, doing so will only delay your recovery since you\u2019re not giving it enough time to knit back together.<\/p>\n Tip:<\/strong> If your strained muscle is only a minor injury, you can gently massage it with a foam roller a few days after pulling it. Just remember to continuously apply R.I.C.E.<\/p>\n Pulling a muscle is not uncommon. However, if you don\u2019t figure out the cause of this injury,<\/a> then it may lead to something more serious than a strained muscle.<\/p>\n Tip:<\/strong> Once you get back to the gym, you should avoid putting a heavy load on your body. Remember that you just got injured and may still be recovering.<\/p>\n For example, if you pulled a muscle while weightlifting, then you can try doing some cardio or bodyweight exercises<\/a> first before going back to your original routine.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Many gym-goers get a strained muscle because they don\u2019t know the proper workout form. Check out this video from V Shred to learn how you can squat without back pain:<\/strong><\/p>\n3. Stretching and Rolling a Strained Muscle<\/span><\/h3>\n
\nMany people attempt to stretch or use a foam roller on their sprained muscle.<\/p>\n4. Learn From Your Mistake<\/span><\/h3>\n
\nWhether you were trying to beat your previous PR or simply had bad form, you should learn from your mistake<\/a> so you don\u2019t pull a muscle again.<\/p>\n