How to Properly Recover From a Muscle Injury

About 3.5 million teens and children suffer from muscle injuries each year because of the sports they play. That’s not to mention the millions of adults that injure themselves by exercising and staying physically active as well.

However, even though muscle injuries are common, not many people know how to properly recover from an injury.

In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about how to recover from a muscle injury.

Get a Massage

One of the best ways to get rid of a muscle injury and speed up the recovery period is to get a massage.

Massages help to release pressure in the muscle tissue and help with blood circulation to the area. This facilitates muscle recovery by giving the area more oxygen and nutrients.

Try Out Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is a great way to help with leg pain, back pain, or any other muscle pain you are experiencing.

Physical therapists are able to target certain areas to help aid with recovery. They give certain stretches and exercises to help work the area. These stretches help to move the muscle to ensure it doesn’t tighten up or worsen during recovery.

Use Stretching Techniques

Whether you are injured or not, stretching after exercising or playing a sport is crucial to give the muscles proper recovery. Stretching allows the muscles to stretch out so they do not pull as easily during activity.

Stretching with a muscle injury is just as important. It helps to keep the muscles flexible and lean so that the muscle itself doesn’t become injured from being too tight.

If you have an injury and are trying to recover faster, pilates for rehabilitation is a great way to get the correct stretches for your muscles. Much like physical therapy, this stretching targets certain injuries and helps with getting a range of movement back.

Use a Foam Roller

If you haven’t gotten around to using a foam roller yet, they are a great way to help muscles recover from injury or simply after a difficult workout.

The foam roller can reduce tenderness and decrease muscle swelling after exercise. Although it may hurt when being used, it will drastically improve muscle recovery, which prevents future injury during activity.

Sleep

Often overlooked, sleep is just as important as stretching to help muscles recover. During sleep, your body prioritizes the muscles that need the most rejuvenation.

It’s also important to note that not getting enough sleep can actually lead to more inflammation in the muscles that need the most help. This is why catching those Zzz’s is so important!

Use These Tips To Help With Muscle Injury

Recovering from a muscle injury is not enjoyable, especially if you’re not exactly sure what your muscles need to recover.

As much as you probably want to get back out there, making sure you get enough rest and stretch a lot during your recovery period will help speed up the process.

Did you love reading these tips? Check out some other tips under our Health section.