Oblique muscles, or side abdominals, support your core and assist movement for daily actions. The obliques help with twisting movements. Damaged muscles require rehabilitation, often recommended by your health care provider or sports injury...
Traditional abdominal exercises such as situps and crunches often cause unwanted back and neck strain. This strain may deter you from adequately working your abdominal muscles. Weak abdominal muscles can lead to problems like back pain and even...
To properly recover strained abdominal muscles, it is important that you take a break from your regular fitness routine, particularly those activities which spurred the injury in the first place. The first 3 to 7 days after injury are the most...
An abdominal muscle strain is an injury that causes damage to the internal structure of your muscles. If you sustain an abdominal muscle strain, you will need to rest to promote proper healing. Once you are healed, you can regain your normal...
Abdominal pain can occur from a variety of causes, including muscle strains or pulls. An abdominal muscle strain can result in acute pain that can last about a day, while chronic pain can occur over weeks and months. Certain stretches can improve...
An abdominal muscle tear is usually caused by inadequate stretching before exercise, forceful activity or a sudden twist or pull of the muscles. The rectus abdominis is commonly involved in this type of injury, but the external and internal...
Abdominal muscle strains fall into three categories, ranging from a grade one injury to a grade three. In a grade one abdominal strain, you may not even know you have an injury until after you finish the activity that causes the strain. Signs of...
Pain can be a side effect of exercise, and it's essential to pay attention to it. The pain could signal something simple such as muscle overuse or something more serious such as a pulled muscle. Muscle tears can also cause a hernia, which will...
Torn abdominal muscles are also referred to as sprains and involve tearing of the supporting muscle fibers. This causes pain, inflammation and weakness and is usually due to improper movement during workouts or lifting of heavy objects. To repair...
Pulled abdominal muscles often result from doing exercises such as sit-ups incorrectly. The University of Buffalo's University Sports Medicine website says that vigorous exercise, in particular, can trigger a muscle strain. There are several...
Situps are an exercise that can strengthen your core muscles, which are muscles around your trunk and pelvis. Situps work your abdominal muscles, but in order to be most effective as an abdominal exercise, the exercise must pull your torso or...
The oblique muscles are considered part of the abdominal muscles. They are located between the ribs and the pelvis and make up the waist. The obliques help the trunk to rotate and bend. There are the external obliques which are large muscles close...
Many conditions can cause pain below the sternum. According to the American College of Gastroenterology, or ACG, abdominal pain can occur throughout the abdomen or in one specific abdominal location or quadrant. Some types of abdominal pain...
The rectus abdominis is a large muscle in the center of your abdomen that extends from your ribs to the front of your pubic bone. Injuries to this muscle result in varying degrees of abdominal strain. Minor strains result in stretching of the...
Sharp pains in your abdomen can be as minor as gastrointestinal gas, or as serious as appendicitis. Movements such as stretching or twisting of your torso and abdomen may aggravate your symptoms. Treatment varies based on the cause, but may...
For most highly active people, a pulled abdominal muscle is a common injury that differs in severity depending on the level of trauma suffered during athletic activity and can range from a slight muscle pull to a torn muscle. Signs and symptoms...
A pulled abdominal muscle is often characterized as a muscle strain. It develops when a muscle within the abdominal wall is stretched beyond its normal capacity. Strains located in the area of the body are usually the result of forceful...
Abdominal strain occurs when you tear or stretch one or more muscles of your stomach. Often, the tear is minor, or the muscle was only stretched, and will heal within a couple days. Other times, the tear is bigger and will take weeks to heal. In...
Bench pressing can be highly effective for developing your arms, chest and shoulders, but use of proper technique is essential for avoiding injuries such as muscle strain. If you’re careless with your form and technique, lift more weight...
Pain that worsens or manifests itself during a workout can point to a number of conditions, some benign, and some more serious in nature. Gastrointestinal upset and muscular injury are two of the most common causes of pain that worsens during...
You can hardly open a magazine without seeing an advertisement with some guy sporting a nice set of abs. There's no denying that it's an enviable trait. But not everyone is blessed with the wherewithal to shape those abs into washboard perfection....
Numerous conditions can cause side or flank pain in the lower abdomen. According to MedlinePlus, a service of the National Institutes of Health, abdominal pain can occur in any abdominal quadrant. Problems in and around the abdomen can also cause...
Most likely your exercise program includes a lot of work on your abs. But how often do you stretch your abs? Tight abs can lead to strains, tears and even hernias during exercise. Warming up and stretching your stomach muscles will help prevent...
Exercise can cause you to experience pain in muscles you never knew you had. Typically, this pain is benign and simply indicates that your workout was effective. However, exercise can occasionally trigger a type of pain that indicates a serious...
Rehabilitating an abdominal muscle strain requires progressive interventions that restore flexibility and strength to the affected area. Start with gentle stretching exercises, then add strengthening exercises, followed by plyometric exercises, if...
Working your abdominal muscles can bulk them up and make them more defined, but if you're pushing your abs too hard, you may injure them or cause them to cramp -- both of which can be painful. If you have an underlying gastrointestinal problem,...
The thick abdominal muscles, or abs, suffer strains less often than muscles related to the extremities, such as the shoulder or calf muscles. Because the ribs and other supportive tissue protect the abs, acute or sudden strains rarely occur. More...
When you exercise, it's normal for the muscles in your abdomen to be a little a sore, especially if you focused on core-toning exercises. However, swelling in the abdomen might be indicative of a serious injury or illness. See a doctor right away...
Damaged abdominal muscles can make everyday activities such as lifting, twisting or getting out of a chair a painful challenge. Injured ab muscles may be damaged further if you don't seek appropriate treatment, so consult your physician as soon as...
Abdominal strains can occur during many physical activities and can be managed with rest and by staying in shape. Learn how to treat abdominal strains and stay fit in this sports medicine video.
