A pulled or strained muscle is something that most would rather not ever have to deal with. Having to deal with the nagging aches and pains of a pulled muscle is extremely unpleasant.
For an athlete to have a pulled muscle, it could mean being side-lined from performing their sport until healed completely. For others, it could mean being unable to perform their job adequately. Either way, the result is a reduced quality of life for the duration of the injury.
Muscle strains or pulls are sometimes unavoidable, but there are a few things that can be done to minimize the risk of one occurring or at least reduce the severity. By following the suggestions and tips below, a person is much less likely to fall victim to a strained muscle.
By making a stretching routine a daily activity, one will be much less likely to experience a pulled or strained muscle. By providing increased flexibility, range of motion, and a reduction in muscle tension, stretching is one of the best activities that can be done to minimize the risk of a muscle strain!
Depending on the activity one is partaking in, stretching can be either very beneficial or have little bearing on performance and injury prevention. According to a recent study, if an athlete is partaking in a sport such as football or soccer, both activities involving jumping and bouncing, stretching beforehand can provide many benefits. For activities such as running or swimming, stretching was found to be less important.
By adopting a regular full-body strength training routine, one can greatly minimize the risk of injury due to pulled muscles or strains whilst also reaping many other benefits!
Stronger muscles are less likely to be strained and according to some research findings, they result in increased stability and a minimized risk of falling in older adults.
To gain the most benefit from strength training, it is best to utilize a routine that incorporates mostly compound exercises that work out many different muscles at once. By doing so, stabilizer muscles will be worked as well as the main movers which will result in an overall stronger body that is much more resistant to injury.
It is advised that before one partakes in any sort of strength training or another type of physical activity that they perform some sort of warm-up in order to better prepare the body for the activity ahead.
Warming up works by increasing one’s body and muscle temperature which results in more supple muscles. A supple muscle is one less likely to be injured due to overreaching, so the benefit is obvious.
Some warm-up activities include brisk walking, light body-weight exercises, jumping rope, or low-paced spinning.
One of the most common ways in which non-athletes experience pulled muscles is by lifting an object off the floor improperly.
It is important that the back remains straight, and to only bend at the knees, when reaching for and lifting an object, in order to reduce the chance of injury. Lifting should not be done with the back but with the legs and it is advised that one avoids any sort of twisting motion while completing the lift.
By following these few guidelines, injuries resulting from lifting can be minimized or avoided entirely.
Maintaining proper posture when both sitting and standing is important in order to avoid putting stress on the back and other muscles not built to take the heavy load for long periods of time. A habit of maintaining bad posture can result in muscle imbalances and weaknesses that make one much more susceptible to muscle strains and pulls.
You can find helpful information on maintaining proper posture online.
Vitamin D deficiency is incredibly common in the northern areas of the United States and the side effects experienced as a result warrant attention.
Some of these side effects include:
Vitamin D holds a starring role in muscular function, by maintaining electrolyte balance and optimal muscle protein synthesis. When these are not in check, muscles do not recover adequately, and they may reach fatigue much faster which can result in an increased risk of injury.
