How To Heal A Pulled Back Muscle
When most people experience a sore or pulled back muscle they want to stretch it out. In effect it is elongating the muscle making it weaker and more susceptible to tears. I know because that is what I thought about pulled muscles to. It hurts so good to stretch a sore muscle when you should be working it, contracting and relaxing it so it may heal. Don’t get me wrong! There is a time to stretch and a time to warm the muscle up and a pulled muscle needs to be warmed and contracted. Once it has healed properly then it’s fine to begin stretching the healed muscle. If you have a pulled back muscle on one side which is what I generally see with my clients I have them bend or pull into the affected side.
For instance if your lower right back muscle is pulled then it’s best to lean or bend into that side to contract the muscles or shorten them. Ways to Heal a Pulled Back Muscle: Kneeling Side Stretch: 1. Get on your hands and knees kneeling like a dog. 2. Pretend you are wagging your tail toward the affected side, in other words poke your hip or tail out to that side of your body. 3. Turn and look toward the tail so you are making the space between your hip and ribs smaller. 4. Hold for a 10 count then release your spine back to neutral or the starting position. 5. Repeat the exercise for 3-5 sets several times through the day or days until the muscle starts to heal and feel better.
If you have a pulled muscle in the upper back try this exercise. Scapular Retraction: 1. Standing tall with your arms out and elbows bent. 2. Draw the elbows back towards each other so that your shoulder blades come together. 3. Hold for a 5 count then release. 4. Repeat this exercise for up to 10 sets during the day or days until the muscle heals or relaxes. Remember these lessons and that your pulled muscle will heal much faster if you don’t start stretching and pulling on it without warming it by contracting the muscle.
|
