Muscle Strain Remedies

Tear (also called distraction) is a very serious muscle injury, affecting the fibrous bundles of one or (rarely) more skeletal muscles.
It represents the most disabling muscle discomfort and also the most complex in terms of healing. It is "characterized by" interruption of the continuity of the muscle and causes a significant blood effusion (much greater than stretching or elongation).

Caused by an "excessive stress on the muscle fibers (violent contractions or sudden jerks), the tear manifests itself more easily in sportsmen and in certain predisposing conditions (cold muscle, poor training level, uncontrolled or abrupt movement, postural or muscle imbalances or coordination, adverse environmental conditions, repeated microtrauma, unsuitable clothing, insufficient recovery / compensation, etc.).
Muscle strain is more frequent in the disciplines of: elastic strength, maximal strength, explosive strength, rapidity and speed. Some examples are: weightlifting, baseball, soccer, sprint and jumping competitions.
The most affected areas are the lower limbs (hamstring quadriceps, adductors, hamstrings, sural triceps) and upper limbs (brachial and deltoid triceps), more rarely the back and abdominal fascia.

The published material is intended to allow quick access to general advice, suggestions and remedies that doctors and textbooks usually dispense for the treatment of a Muscle Strain; such indications must in no way substitute the opinion of the attending physician or other health specialists in the sector who are treating the patient. using a series of preparatory precautions (see under Prevention). In short:

• General and specific warming of the muscles.
• Build a suitable training base.
• Dedicate yourself to activities suited to your athletic condition.
• Treat or take into consideration any muscle-joint pathologies and motor chain imbalances.

Recognizing the symptoms:

• Sharp and sudden pain, proportional to the extent of the damage.
• Total motor disability of the affected muscle.
• Stiff and contracted muscles.
• Edema.
• Significant swelling.
• Sometimes, emergence of the hematoma.

Stop not only sporting activity, but any movement that affects the torn muscle (although the pain threshold may allow for continuation).

Make an accurate diagnosis to identify the severity of the distraction. In general, one goes to the emergency room immediately; a meeting with the general practitioner is rarely expected. The estimate is made through:

• Palpation and functional verification: it is necessary to check the severity of the damage and to rule out fractures, sprains, etc.
• Imaging: the most suitable examination is ultrasound, which provides a detail on the extent and severity of the tear.
• Estimation of the severity level:
• I degree: the damage affects 5% of the muscle fibers. It feels like discomfort during contraction and stretch. It results in a loss of strength and limitation of movement. Some confuse it with a severe stretch.
• II degree: the damage affects more than 5% of the muscle fibers. It is felt as a sharp pain that arises during the specific gesture, but which does not always prevent the continuation of motor activity.
• III degree: the damage corresponds to a laceration of the muscle belly, which reaches 75% of the structure. It causes complete muscle impotence and such pain that you have to sit or lie down.

Proceed with care. It consists of the R.I.C.E. (English acronym for the words rest or rest, ice or ice, compression or compression, elevation or elevation):

• Rest: total of at least 1-2 weeks for mild forms, 15-30 days for damage of II degree and beyond for those of III. It is advisable to avoid both sport and any motor activity concerning the specific district.
• Ice: spray or natural to be applied with insulated packs (plastic bag) and enclosed in a dry woolen cloth.
• Compression: to be carried out during the pack but also useful in the form of a bandage.
• Elevation: If possible, the torn muscle should be positioned above the level of the heart to facilitate venous return and reduce edema.

Take anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxant drugs after consulting your doctor (see Pharmacological Treatments below).

Take advantage of specific medical therapies (see below Medical Therapies) taking care not to aggravate the situation.

If necessary, practice independent stretching under the advice of the physiotherapist (the recommendation not to aggravate the damage is valid).

Surgery: it may seem like an "extreme" remedy but it is sometimes necessary.

Prevention of recurrence: the repair of the damage consists in the structuring of less resistant scar tissue. The muscle becomes more delicate and requires more care.

(worse if with rebounds that cause the stretch reflex and any microtrauma).

Engage in specific activities without a dedicated athletic base.

Engage in sports other than one's own with excessive intensity, even if they involve athletic gestures very similar to custom.

Neglecting any pathologies or motor imbalances.

Exposing the muscles to repeated trauma e.g. repeated contractures, light strains etc.

To persist with the activity even after the manifestation of unequivocal symptoms.

Do not consult your doctor and / or settle for a rough diagnosis.

Do not practice R.I.C.E.

Promote relapses.

Skip the recommended medical therapies.

ATTENTION! Muscle stretching in remission is a practice that can confer benefits or further damage the district depending on the specific case and method.

• Failure to comply with prescribed drug treatments.
• Take advantage of heat therapies (massages, ointments, muds, etc.) in the acute phase of the tear.

: they are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and alpha linolenic acid (ALA). The first two are biologically very active and are mainly contained in: sardine, mackerel, bonito, alaccia, herring, alletterato, tuna belly, garfish, algae, krill etc. The third, on the other hand, is less active but constitutes a precursor of EPA; it is mainly contained in the fat fraction of certain foods of plant origin or in the oils of: soy, linseed, kiwi seeds, grape seeds etc.

Antioxidants:

• Vitamins: the antioxidant vitamins are carotenoids (provitamin A), vitamin C and vitamin E. Carotenoids are contained in vegetables and red or orange fruits (apricots, peppers, melons, peaches, carrots, squash, tomatoes, etc.); they are also present in crustaceans and milk. Vitamin C is typical of sour fruit and some vegetables (lemons, oranges, mandarins, grapefruits, kiwis, peppers, parsley, chicory, lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage, etc.). Vitamin E can be found in the lipid portion of many seeds and related oils (wheat germ, corn germ, sesame, etc.).
• Minerals: zinc and selenium. The first is mainly contained in: liver, meat, milk and derivatives, some bivalve molluscs (especially oysters). The second is mainly contained in: meat, fish products, egg yolk, milk and derivatives, enriched foods (potatoes, etc.).
• Polyphenols: simple phenols, flavonoids, tannins. They are very rich: vegetables (onion, garlic, citrus fruits, cherries, etc.), fruit and relative seeds (pomegranate, grapes, berries, etc.), wine, oil seeds, coffee, tea, cocoa, legumes and whole grains, etc.

: ethyl alcohol exerts a diuretic action and interferes with the pharmacological metabolism by reducing the effect of the active ingredients.

Excess of omega 6 fatty acids or wrong omega 3 / omega 6 ratio (to the advantage of the latter). They could have a pro-inflammatory effect. It is good practice to limit the introduction of foods rich in linoleic, gamma-linolenic, diomo-gamma-linolenic and arachidonic acids, such as: seed oil (especially peanuts), most dried fruit, certain legumes, etc. At the same time it is necessary to increase the intake of omega 3 (see above What to Eat).

: decreases blood flow, limiting any blood effusion.

Bandage and compression: useful in the prevention of swelling.

Muscle elevation (if possible): necessary to facilitate venous return.

.
The most used are of two types:

• NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs): they are divided into two categories:
• For systemic use (tablets, capsules, suppositories, etc.).
• For topical use (ointment, gel or cream)

The NSAIDs used in the therapy of tears are:

• Ibuprofen: for example Arfen®, Moment®, Brufen®, Nurofen®, in 10% lysine salt such as Dolorfast®.
• Diclofenac (e.g. Voltaren®).
• Naproxene (e.g. Aleve®, Naprosyn®, Prexan®, Naprius®).
• Ketoprofen 2.5% (e.g. Fastum gel®, Ketoprofen ALM®, Steofen®).
• Muscle relaxants: they are used to relax the muscles. They exert their activity through a mechanism of action that involves the antagonism of the GABA-A receptor. They are divided into three types:
• For systemic use (tablets, capsules, suppositories, etc.).
• For parenteral use (injection).
• For topical use (ointment, gel or cream).

The muscle relaxants used in tears are those that act on the nervous system:

• Suxamethonium chloride (e.g. Myotenlis®).
• Thiocolchicoside (e.g. Muscoril®, Miotens®).

adequate, especially in the muscles most affected by the injury. The useful means are:

• Technical clothing: especially useful in the winter months or in mid-seasons.
• Specific ointments.

Practice specific muscle warm-up and specific activation or "approach" (more intense and progressive warm-up). It serves to:

• Increase the peripheral temperature of all muscles.
• Elasticize and mobilize the tissues of the structures recruited in the athletic gesture (muscle bundles, sheaths, etc.).

ATTENTION! Stretching can be beneficial or harmful depending on the time, type and intensity. It is advisable to always perform it hot, not immediately after strength exercises and / or muscle exhaustion and without straining or bouncing. Stretching is considered preventive when used as a stand-alone protocol to be performed to increase core muscle elasticity.

• Understand your training level.
• Contextualize the performance avoiding excesses.
• Recover (or super compensate) adequately between sessions or races.
• Compensate for pathologies or uncomfortable conditions affecting joints, tendons and muscles.
• Evaluate the ground and any unevenness very carefully (useful advice in activities that involve running).

, progressive load, etc.) that allow optimal progress with therapy and resumption of activity.

Tecar therapy: it is a therapeutic method that uses an electric capacitor to treat joint muscle injuries. The mechanism of Tecartherapy is based on the restoration of the electrical charge in the injured cells, to ensure that they regenerate more quickly.

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (Tens): it is an "antalgic electrotherapy, which acts above all against pain. It sends electrical impulses to the skin through electroconductive plates. These block the nerve signals of pain and stimulate the production of endorphins."

Ultrasound: this system uses high frequency acoustic waves. It is very useful as an anti-inflammatory, stimulant of edematous reabsorption and to dissolve the adhesions that form during healing. It produces heat and increases the permeability of cell membranes.

Magnetotherapy: takes advantage of the effects of the magnetic field on the body. It is applied by means of two solenoids directly on the muscle. It exerts a force on magnetic, paramagnetic iron materials and on diamagnetic molecules. That at high and low frequency produces benefits if the treatment is prolonged enough. The effectiveness of the static one is not scientifically proven. Its effects on cells, inflammation, inflammation, etc. They are different. It can reduce healing times by up to 50%, but the effectiveness varies with the damage.

Laser therapy: it is a treatment that uses the rays directly on the affected area. The electron beam from the laser acts on the cell membrane and mitochondria, increasing metabolic activity, reducing pain and inflammation, creating vasodilation and increasing lymphatic drainage.

Kinesio taping: it is more suitable for contractures and mild strains. This system exploits the traction of the adhesive and elastic bandages; sometimes they contain small pharmacological concentrations of anti-inflammatories.They should have a draining, slightly pain-relieving-anti-inflammatory and bracing function.

Iontophoresis: It is a form of needle-free injection. It allows a drug (in this case anti-inflammatory or muscle relaxant) to cross the epidermis thanks to the application of a direct current.