How to Treat A Muscle Strain or Tear

Muscle strain is one of the most common types of overuse injury, especially among athletes. It occurs when a muscle in your body either overstretching, biomechanical malalignment or works too hard (as a result of a dramatic change in the training regimen). The severity of the injury can vary substantially depending on how much damage the muscle fibres has sustain.

For mild cases, muscle strain can be treated at home with light exercise to regain full function. However, if there is severe pain and swelling in the muscle, or you cannot move the body part at all, you need to get in touch with a professional physiotherapy clinic in North London like Southgate Physio for treatment immediately.

You can talk to our medical experts about your illnesses by giving our clinic a call and get immediate help.

Symptoms of A Muscle Strain or Tear

You will usually feel the onset of a muscle strain as the symptoms appear, which include the following:

• Muscle Pain at Rest
• Limited or Restricted Range of Motion
• Bruising or Discolouration
• Stiffness and Weakness
• Swelling and Soreness

Mild muscle tear will still leave the muscle flexible enough to use and usually takes up to a couple of weeks to heal completely. On the other hand, severe tears will leave your muscles completely immobilised and can take up to a few months to heal with professional care.

Southgate Physio in North London is one of the most relied upon physiotherapy clinics in the region, offering advanced treatment for a variety of medical issues like sports injury treatment, musculoskeletal issues treatment, pain management, acupuncture, etc. Get in touch with our physiotherapy experts for more information on our services.

How to Treat Muscle Tears at Home?

Treatment for mild strain can started at home by following the RICE treatment method, which stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Here is a brief discussion on the same.

• Rest
Since strain is an overuse injury, try to reduce use of target muscle group for a couple of weeks, especially if the movement causes the pain to aggravate. After resting it for a week or two, start the rehabilitation but be careful and don’t overdo it.

• Ice
If you suffered an injury, apply ice packs immediately to the location to minimise swelling, and keep applying them every few hours. However, be careful to not apply ice directly to the skin and place a towel if you are using ice directly.

• Compression
Wrap the area in an elastic bandage to restrict movement and counter swelling. Again, be careful to not overdo it as you can end up restricting the blood flow to the area.

• Elevation
Keep the injured muscle raised above the heart level to reduce swelling in the region. For instance, when sitting or sleeping, prop up the injured leg.

Contact Us!

For advanced treatment for distinct types of musculoskeletal issues and rehabilitation, get in touch with Southgate Physio at once. You can book an appointment by giving us a call or sending us an email.

Physiotherapy Services We Offer

Our clinic offers a wide range of treatments that are all recommended and tailored to everyone who comes and visits us. Our range of treatments complements the body and mind, helping to keep you pain and injury-free, delivering preventative measures to maintain your well-being and enhance your performance levels.

Our main aim is to restore your personal well-being so you can enjoy an active, healthy, and pain-free life. Click on any of the services to find out a little more about each treatment and understand if it might be right for you.

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