ab strain

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam,

 

I think I pulled an abdominal muscle doing leg lifts really fast. Are there

any exercises or stretches I can do to help it heal? And also, if possible

if anybody could give me the names of the exercises/stretches and also what

exactly they are doing.

 

Thanks!

 

Sat Nam,

Amanda

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam Amanda:

 

> I think I pulled an abdominal muscle doing leg lifts really fast.

>Are there any exercises or stretches I can do to help it heal? And

>also, if possible if anybody could give me the names of the

>exercises/stretches and also what exactly they are doing.

 

I'm providing some generic instructions for treating pulled muscles,

abstracted from another web site. First, there are three

progressively severe grades of muscle strains, ranging from the

common strain that heals in a week or less, to a complete tearing of

the muscle fiber, sometimes separating it from the muscle tendon.

After 24 hours, if the pain and stiffness is such that you can't move

easily, or if there are any bulges or asymmetries visible in the

muscle, then make an appointment with your healthcare professional.

 

Learn the RICE guidelines. RICE is short for rest, ice, compression,

elevation. These are the home remedies that are very effective for

Grade 1 sprains. If carefully followed, this simple formula will

speed up and improve the healing process considerably. Note, however,

that RICE isn't in chronological order. You should elevate the

injured muscle as you ice it; and you shouldn't compress it until

you've applied ice and elevated the injured muscle. (More details to

follow.) Rest, however, is certainly the first step on the road to

complete recovery.

 

If possible, immediately discontinue use of the strained muscle. And

limit the area's use as much as possible in the next 24-48 hours. And

here's something to consider, if you find yourself going back to your

workout the day after the strain. Some folks suffer a psychological

condition known as injury depression, which results from a fear that

their injury will prevent them from returning to the sport or

activity that they love. In this case, the ancient Chinese wisdom

of "doing nothing to accomplish something" is particularly relevant.

Lay off the activity that you were doing when you strained the

muscle, try to be patient, and stay active with other, less intensive

forms of exercise. A forced or hastened recovery often resurfaces a

month later as a more serious and debilitating injury. If you take

time for the healing process to complete itself, you'll enjoy fewer

injuries in the future.

 

Ice application is crucial to the healing process. The moist cold

from the ice penetrates deeply into muscle, slowing down the flow of

blood to the area. This reduces the swelling which can lead to pain

and restricted movement. As a bonus, the nerve endings in the area

are numbed by the cold and will send fewer pain signals to the brain,

which means less pain for you. Ice down the muscle in increments of

20 minutes--20 minutes of ice on the muscle, 20 minutes with no ice,

and repeat. Continue with this "Ice On, Ice Off " schedule for up to

two hours per session, with at least two sessions per day. Follow

this schedule for the first 24-72 hours, depending on the severity of

the strain. More severe strains will require additional days of ice

treatment beyond 72 hours. If you're doing any alternative exercise,

be sure to ice down the muscle very soon after finishing. For

additional reduction of swelling, elevate the injured area as you ice

it. Here's the list of sensations you'll feel when you apply ice to

an area: cold, stinging, burning, and the last stage, numbness.

Remove the ice pack once the area feels numb, even if 20 minutes

hasn't passed. If you're alone for the ice application and you're

lying down, set a timer that will wake you up in case you fall asleep.

 

Some physical therapists recommend heat as well as ice, after 48

hours have passed. Evening is a good time for heat application,

having completed the ice applications for the day. A moist heat is

necessary: a hot compress purchased for this purpose (heated in a pot

of boiling water) works best. Apply the heat for a single session of

20 minutes. (Lacking a compress, soak the area in a tub of hot water

for ten minutes.) Heat will bring extra blood circulation to the area

and will decrease the possibility of muscle spasm. Note: some

trainers swear by heat, others strongly recommend against it. Try it

and see what effect it has on the injured muscle.

 

Compression: When possible, compressing the injured area with an ace

wrap (or other reusable elastic bandage) helps into two ways: one, it

reduces swelling through the pressure of the bandage; and two, it

supports the muscle and limits its movement somewhat, thereby

reducing the possibility of additional strain. Compression is best

applied after a session of ice application and elevation and before

you do any activity--so don't strap on an ace wrap as you go to sleep

for the night.

 

Keep the wrap on for up to two hours; if your schedule allows it, ice

and elevate the injured area immediately after unwrapping it. Note:

keep an eye on the wrapped limb; if its color turns white or blue,

then unwrap it immediately, and wrap it less tightly next time.

 

Elevation: Elevation reduces pain and swelling by helping to drain

fluids from the injured muscle, and is usually accompanied by an ice

application. Here's how to proceed: Get comfortable. If the muscle is

in your arm or leg, use some pillows to prop up that limb higher than

the heart--that means you may want to lie down so that you aren't

propping your leg up on five feet of pillows. If the muscle is in

your neck or back, just lie on your stomach or in a position where

you can be comfortable. Get a book or magazine, put on an ice pack,

and move as little as possible.

 

In short - exercises and stretches are not the way to heal quickly.

When you are ready to start practicing again, be gentle and loving

with yourself. You are your own teacher, and I suggest that you

imagine that you are teaching your daughter yoga. You want her to

make continual progress, never overdoing, never hurting herself.

Treat yourself with the same love, attention, and devotion that you

would give to her. You deserve no less.

 

Love & blessings,

Sadhant