First aid for a pulled muscle and how to prevent it
Muscle injuries are usually graded by severity: cramp, pulled muscle and torn muscle. Here is how to treat each one and, above all, how to avoid them.
"Ow-ow-ow-owww!”
Cramp is the most common nuisance in training, and it is caused mainly by a lack of water, magnesium, calcium and vitamin D. It can strike during exercise, but also during any sudden, fast movement.
Fortunately, it is easy to get out of quickly: just stretch the muscle slowly in the opposite direction to the one the cramp occurred in. Our marketing manager and strength and conditioning coach Jozef Porubský adds:
Many people have experienced cramp. The more experienced ones can sense the moment just before it hits, relax the muscle quickly and head the cramp off. In most cases, though, it comes on suddenly. In those moments, don't panic, breathe calmly and try a slow counter-movement – stretching the muscle. Also top up your water and minerals, otherwise the cramps may well come back soon.”
Pulled muscle
A muscle is usually pulled under increased load, and the cause tends to be a poor warm-up, muscles that aren't warmed through, or poor overall flexibility. At that moment we should stop loading it and relax the muscle, cool it and avoid any further sudden movements. While we want to cool the muscle straight after the injury, later on we would rather warm it and support it with an elastic bandage.
With a pulled muscle we can still function normally day to day. Returning to training that involves the affected muscle group should wait around one to three weeks after the injury, depending on severity. Loading it again should happen gradually – definitely don't go straight back to full throttle as you did before the injury.
Torn and ruptured muscle
In extreme cases the muscle fibres can tear. The same applies as with a pull – cold in the acute phase, then warmth and support. With a tear, definitely see a doctor, who will determine the exact extent and severity of the injury and set the optimal treatment and how long it should last.
Even though online videos may give the impression that muscles mostly get pulled or torn in strength sports, it isn't only heavy weights that cause tears. You can injure a muscle in bodyweight sports too, for example in gymnastics or running (especially short-distance sprints).
You can also pull or even tear a muscle during other everyday activities, for example when carrying a heavier object or when you have to make a sudden movement you aren't prepared for.
“A muscle injury and its extent depend on many factors. Of course heavy loads play a big role, but many injuries happen because of weaker technique, poor muscle flexibility, or because the person is stiff, not warmed up and skipped the pre-workout warm-up,” explains Jozef.
Prevention
If we maintain the best possible mobility (range of motion in the joints) and flexibility (range of motion in the muscles), we will dramatically reduce the likelihood of a muscle injury. That is why you need to warm up and mobilise as well as you can before training, tailored to the exercises you are about to do.
As part of long-term prevention, focus on increasing flexibility in the muscle groups where you are weaker and strengthen them systematically. Better flexibility combined with good technique increases your range of motion and eliminates injuries.
“As for stretching after training, that's not something to knock out in a couple of minutes – we should really take care over it. Stretching on its own can be a separate training session within the week, especially for people with lower mobility and flexibility. Yoga is an excellent tool too,” adds Jozef.
Injury-prevention checklist:
✔ Enough water, vitamins and minerals ✔ A quality warm-up that gets the muscles warm ✔ Well-executed technique ✔ Stretching or yoga as part of your training plan
