An effective warm-up routine includes five or more minutes of stretching: reaching behind your ankles, pulling yourself down to stretch your legs, pulling your arms across your chest and holding them in place. Without enough stretching, you may increase your risk of injury during physical activity, potentially causing a strain -- any abrupt overstretching of a muscle. Depending on the severity of the strain, your symptoms of a pulled muscle can vary from minor to very noticeable.
Pain
One of the most common symptoms of a pulled leg muscle is pain. You may notice an unusual discomfort whenever you bend your leg, put pressure on your leg or touch the affected area. Medline Plus, a service of the National Institutes of Health, says excessive physical activity, improper warm-up and poor flexibility can all contribute to the likelihood of a muscular strain. Therefore, to reduce your risk of pain from a pulled muscle, minimize how hard you push yourself during workouts, spend at least five or more minutes stretching, and avoid stretching your muscles beyond their limit.
Burning Sensation
According to Penn State University, muscle strains, such as a pulled leg muscle, may be associated with a burning sensation. This can occur either as a result of overexertion of the muscle in the specific region or in response to the immune system attempting to resolve the issue, culminating in inflammation of the strained area. Medline Plus recommends pressing ice against the pulled muscular region 10 to 15 minutes every hour after the initial strain, and then every three to four hours for the following few days.
Swelling & Discoloration
In more severe cases, with increased inflammation and the release of excess blood into the strained region, the leg will begin to swell and turn a bluish color. This bruising occurs in response to the swelling region cutting off oxygen flow to the surrounding blood cells. Medline Plus says to keep your pulled leg muscle elevated above your heart for at least a day to improve blood circulation in the affected region.
Inability to Walk
The Mayo Clinic notes that in more serious situations, you will not be able to move the affected muscle, or at least you will have limited mobility. This may show up as limping or a general inability to apply pressure to the pulled leg.
Muscle Spasms
As the pulled leg muscle begins to heal, whether immediately or within the days or weeks that follow, you may experience random muscle spasms. However, the Mayo Clinic says if you cannot walk without immense pain, experience numbness or see redness rather than blue marks in the affected region, you should contact a doctor.
