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Here, physical therapists answer "How long does it take for muscles to heal" when strained and explain the common types of pulled muscles and treatment methods.
How long does a muscle strain last? How long your strain lasts depends on which muscle you injured and how badly it was strained. Most muscle strains heal in a few weeks with at-home treatments.
Try isometric exercise. If it's not too painful, gently contract (squeeze) the injured muscle for 30 seconds at a time. This promotes the normal breakdown and reknitting of muscle tissue. If muscle pain persists after three days to a week, see your doctor.
In most cases, a pulled back muscle will heal within two weeks of the injury. You should notice the symptoms getting a little better each day. However, if your back symptoms get worse or if the pain lasts longer than two weeks, you may need to see a physical therapist.
A muscle strain is an injury that happens when you overstretch or tear a muscle or a tendon, the strong, flexible tissue that attaches your muscles to your bones.
Most muscle strain injuries will heal with simple treatment. Following the right steps at the right time can be critical to ensuring the fastest possible recovery. As with many injuries, there is a balance between doing too much or too little, especially in the early stages after the injury.
The amount of time it takes to heal from a muscle strain depends on your injury's severity. Grade I strains heal within a few weeks. Grade II tears can take up to 3 months or longer. If you've had surgery from a Grade III strain, gaining normal muscle function will require months of rehabilitation.
Use an ice pack or slush bath of ice and water for 15 to 20 minutes each time and repeat every two to three hours while you're awake for the first few days after the injury. Compression. To help stop swelling, compress the area with an elastic bandage until the swelling stops.
Minor injuries may only overstretch a muscle or tendon, while more severe injuries may involve partial or complete tears in these tissues. Sometimes called pulled muscles, strains commonly occur in the lower back and in the muscles at the back of the thigh (hamstrings).
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