How to deal with muscle strain after exercise

　　Sudden pain in the calves after running and sprinting, sudden tightness in the arm muscles when lifting irons, and a tearing sensation in the lower back during yoga stretching - sudden muscle pain during or after exercise are often signs of muscle strain. Many people don’t know how to deal with this situation, and even aggravate the injury due to improper handling. How to deal with muscle strain after exercise in a scientific way?

How to deal with muscle strain after exercise

　　1. Brake immediately and stop weight-bearing activities

　　After a strain, you need to stop the current exercise as soon as possible to avoid stress on the injured muscle again. If your leg is strained, you can sit or lie down to rest and use pillows to elevate the affected leg. ； If you have an upper limb strain, avoid lifting heavy objects or doing extensive activities to prevent further tearing of muscle fibers.

　　2. Apply cold compress to relieve pain and control the development of swelling.

　　The acute period is within 48 hours after the strain. Ice packs or cold towels wrapped in towels need to be applied to the injured area for 15-20 minutes each time and repeated every 1-2 hours. Low temperature can constrict blood vessels, reduce bleeding and exudation, and relieve pain and swelling. Be careful to avoid direct contact of the ice pack with the skin to prevent frostbite.

　　3. Pressure bandage to reduce local bleeding

　　Gently wrap the injured area with an elastic bandage, tight enough to allow one finger to fit in. Too tight will affect blood circulation. Compression bandaging can compress damaged blood vessels, reduce local bleeding, support muscles, and relieve pain during activities.

What are the common misunderstandings about muscle strains after exercise?

　　1. Apply hot compress or massage immediately

　　Hot compresses in the early stages of a strain will dilate blood vessels and aggravate bleeding and swelling.； Blind massage may rub damaged muscles, causing more serious fiber tears. After 48 hours, when the swelling has stabilized, you can switch to hot compresses and gentle massage.

　　2. Endure the pain and continue exercising

　　“The practice of "training with pain" is extremely undesirable. Forcing the injured muscles to bear force will prolong the recovery time and even cause chronic injuries. After a strain, you need to rest adequately, and then gradually resume exercise after the pain completely disappears and muscle strength is restored.

　　3. Use blood-activating and blood-stasis-removing medicines at will

　　Yunnan Baiyao aerosol and other blood-activating and blood-stasis-removing drugs should be used 48 hours after the injury. Use in the acute stage will accelerate local blood flow and increase swelling. When the pain is severe, you can take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen under the guidance of a doctor.

　　The key to recovery from muscle strain is "urgent treatment and slow recovery". Only by mastering scientific methods can we reduce the impact of the injury and return the body to sports status faster. If the pain is severe and the limbs are deformed after the strain, you need to seek medical attention immediately to check for fractures or tendon ruptures.