Pulling a muscle is the worst, and it can be tough to know how you can successfully treat it and encourage quick healing at home.

Luckily, our AFC Urgent Care Louisville team is here to help you know what to do if you’ve suffered a painful pulled muscle, so read on!

What Is a Pulled Muscle?

A pulled muscle, or a muscle strain, happens when your muscle is overstretched or torn. A pulled muscle usually occurs as a result of fatigue, overuse or improper use of a specific muscle.

Strains can happen to any muscle on the body, but they’re most common in the lower back, neck, shoulder and hamstrings. Additionally, minor injuries may only overstretch a muscle or tendon, while more severe injuries may involve partial or complete tears in these tissues. We’ve listed the common signs of muscle strains below.

Symptoms of Muscle Strain

• Sudden onset of pain
• Soreness
• Limited range of movement
• Bruising or discoloration
• Swelling
• A “knotted-up” feeling
• Muscle spasms
• Stiffness
• Weakness

How Am I Supposed to Tell if I’ve Pulled a Muscle?

At times, it can be difficult to tell between muscle soreness and muscle strain. Health experts say that with muscle soreness, you won’t feel it until a day to two later. With a pulled muscle, however, the pain is usually immediate.

In fact, the pain from a pulled muscle is intense, sharp and localized to where the injury occurred and can also be associated with swelling, bruising and difficulty moving the joints nearby. If this type of pain sounds familiar to you, practicing the R.I.C.E. method is perhaps the best way to help your affected muscle to recover.

R.I.C.E. Method

• Rest. Even if your muscle strain is fairly minor, you should avoid physical activity for at least 24 hours.
• Ice. As soon as you feel your muscle or tendon strain, grab an ice pack. Apply ice for 15–20 minutes every two to three hours, and follow this routine for the first few days after your injury.
• Compression. Compressing your strained muscle reduces the swelling.
• Elevation. Elevating your injury above the level of your heart will help to reduce the pain and swelling.

If you have any further questions about your pulled muscle, don’t hesitate to reach out to our AFC Urgent Care Louisville team today!