Pulled muscles in Kansas City are a common injury we see as we’re covering the track events in the Kansas City Corporate Challenge.
The night of the 100m sprint is the night many individuals experience the dreadful sudden jerk and grabbing of the hamstring after trying to sprint without properly warming up (not a good idea… you need to warm up). These individuals have pulled muscles.
what does it mean to pull a muscle?
Torn muscles, pulled muscles and muscle strains are all terms describing the same thing – an acute injury to a muscle. A muscle strain occurs when some of the fibers within the muscle tear. A strain is described as mild (grade 1), moderate (grade 2), or severe (grade 3). Strains (muscle injuries) should not be confused with sprains (ligament injuries).
What happens if you pull a muscle and what are your treatment options?
The best treatment for the vast majority of quadriceps and hamstring strains is to not have surgery. This goes for both mild and severe strains. This is because muscle tissue has a very good capacity to heal on its own. While the muscle is healing, physical therapy is beneficial to help decrease swelling and discomfort. You should try to walk normally as soon as possible. You may also benefit from performing simple mobility and strengthening exercises in a pool. Ice is beneficial immediately after the injury for pain relief. However, heat may be a better option after 48 hours to help minimize muscle stiffness. Deep tissue massage may help improve symptoms and restore knee and hip mobility. You’ll want to talk to your sports medicine physician in Kansas City for a more specific and individualized treatment plan for your pulled muscle.
what can i do to prevent a pulled muscle?
Individuals increase their risk of pulling a muscle if they tend to phave tight hamstrings (or quads), or if they do not perform adequate warm-ups before games, practices or races. Be sure over training does not occur, especially during hot, humid summer months when dehydration and fatigue are common.
- There are a variety of options for warm ups depending on the activity in which you are participating. Dynamic stretching and jogging are great to include in a warm up prior to participating in a race; such as those in the Kansas City Corporate Challenge track events.
- The FIFA 11+ warm-up is a 20-minute warm-up designed to decrease injury in soccer players (specifically those over age 14). There have been several high-quality scientific studies that have proven that the FIFA 11+ program does in fact reduce injury risk. In fact, numerous Kansas City soccer clubs use the FIFA11+ warm-up.
- Talk to your coaches and ask for pointers on how you can prevent a pulled muscle.
Although many quad and hamstring strains can be prevented, a certain number of these are inevitable. should you suffer a pulled muscle in Kansas City, you should schedule a visit with a sports medicine physician for proper diagnosis, treatment recommendations and return-to-play guidelines.
