Tip of the week

What to do about a pulled muscle?

Pulled muscles occur when the muscle is stretched and it may result in small tears in the muscle. While to an extent this is a normal part of exercise, it can be more severe. To help a pulled muscle try these tips:

Rest It: That doesn’t mean you have to stop working out but you should avoid straining that particular muscle for a 1 or more days, for example if you do shoulder exercises one day, do legs the next.

Icing: Icing helps reduce swelling, this should be done soon after the pull occurs

Heating: Heating is done to reduce tension in the muscle

Stretch:Make sure to properly stretch your muscles to loosen them up and help to avoid future injuries

For more information read http://orthopedics.about.com/od/sprainstraintreatment/ht/muscle.htm