ABDOMINAL STRAIN
Pain in the abdomen area could mean many possible things. Abdominal strains, or pulled abdominal muscle, will generally happen during intense or excessive exercising. For that reason, strains are very common in athletes or highly active individuals. Strained muscles could also happen when you make sudden, fast movements like coughing, sneezing, or lifting something heavy. You went too hard, and put excess strain on certain areas your body and tore or pulled a muscle.
WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU STRAIN YOUR MUSCLES?
They overstretch to the point where they forcefully contracted (that should make you cringe just thinking about it). When the muscles are contracted like that, it makes them that much more vulnerable and susceptible to injury. You usually will not be able to visually see the abdominal strain injury from the outside. Although, if it is a serious enough strain there may be some bruising around the affected area.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I PULLED A STOMACH MUSCLE?
Here are some abdominal wall tear symptoms you may be experiencing if you are suffering from a strained or pulled abdominal muscle:
Pain in abdomen area that worsens when you move
Sudden muscle spasms or cramping
Bruising
Muscle weakness or stiffness
Difficulty walking, bending forward or sideways, or standing straight
These muscle strains can be mild, moderate or severe. The pain will decrease with time as your injured muscle heals. Depending on the injury, it could be a few days, or may last as long as a few months.
HOW CAN I TREAT MY ABDOMINAL STRAIN?
Here are a few things you can do that will help to ease the pain of a pulled stomach muscle:
Rest – This seems like common sense but is commonly ignored by competitive athletes wanting to get back in the game. When you don’t give your body time to rest it makes it worse, setting you back even further. Your abdominal muscles are used for almost all your movements, sitting, standing up, twisting, etc. This makes it very difficult to rest your abdominal muscle. If you are experiencing some pain and discomfort during these movements, we recommend you look into an abdominal muscle strain brace. BraceAbility offers a variety of binders, belts, wraps, and braces to help your abdominal strains.
Applying Ice & Heat – Applying ice and heat will help to relieve some pain and tenderness you might be experiencing.
Over-the-Counter Drugs – To help ease the pain and reduce inflammation, you can take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications, such as Ibuprofen.
Compression – Using compression will help to apply pressure and help the affected area.
IS THERE A WAY TO PREVENT ABDOMINAL STRAINS?
Not all muscle strains can be avoided, but you may be able to reduce the risk of an abdominal muscle strain from occurring again with these preventative options:
Warm up – Let’s be honest, everyone thinks that you can just jump right into exercising without warming up. It is recommended that you spend 10- 20 minutes before you start your workout to get your muscles ready.
Recovery – You need to give your muscles time to recover. Make sure you are doing a cool down after an intense workout. If you participate in strenuous activities every day, make sure you are resting the muscles and not overworking affected areas day after day.
Maintaining good muscle strength – If your muscles are strong, it is less likely they will tear or become injured.
Diet – Eat healthy and drink lots of fluids, maintaining a healthy, balanced diet helps to strengthen bones and muscles.
Stretch – You should stretch before and after a workout. We know, its really easy to skip, but it is so important to make an effort to stretch.
Practice good posture – Maintain good posture when sitting or standing, and avoid sitting in one position for a long period of time which puts extra strain on your abdominal muscles. If you are looking for a way to improve your posture, check out our adjustable posture brace that can help to pull your shoulders back into a proper posture position.
Practice proper lifting techniques – When you lift heavy objects, properly bend at your knees and lift with your legs, with the weight close to your body.
Understand your body’s limitations – Avoid overworking your muscles, you know when your body needs to stop, so listen to it. If you do not currently exercise, start slowly and ease into more rigorous activity.
If your strain is sharp and you are experiencing extreme pain and you are not getting relief from any remedies, you need to consult a doctor. They will give you an examination and more than likely an ultrasound, which will help to see if there is just a tear or if there is actually a hernia present
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