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 to the surface of the skin. The internal obliques are deeper and situated right below the external obliques. These muscles can become strained due to a direct blow to the waist area, from overuse or forceful twisting and bending motions. If oblique muscle strain symptoms appear, it is important to treat the symptoms right away. Any strain left untreated can become more serious or even chronic.
Stiffness
Bending or twisting the trunk in a forceful or improper way can lead to a muscle strain of the obliques , according to the State of Victoria Better Health Channel website. Muscle strains are categorized based on their severity. If there is no significant injury to the oblique muscles, the sprain is considered a grade one or minor sprain. The main symptom is stiffness and difficulty moving the trunk, and there may be muscle soreness and visible bruising. Grade one sprains usually require avoiding movements that aggravate the symptoms and may take two to three weeks to heal.
Pain and Swelling
If some of the muscle fibers in the obliques are partially torn, then there is usually pain upon movement of the trunk and the area will be swollen and tender to the touch. The Society for Tennis Medicine and Science says that the pain can be sharp, stabbing or burning and may get worse when twisting, performing sit-ups or when trying to lift the legs while lying on the back. Even gentle movement or stretching will be uncomfortable. This level of injury is called a grade two sprain and can take up to six weeks to get better. Rest, ice and medication to control the symptoms may be needed to help the injury heal. It will be important to return to activities slowly and only perform movements that are painless.
Loss of Strength and Spasms
If the oblique muscles suffer a third-degree sprain then the muscle has completely torn or ruptured. Pain and muscle weakness will usually be severe. There may be uncontrollable spasms even at rest. According to the MD Guidelines website, the abdominal muscles may push through the muscle tear causing a hernia and internal bleeding. Surgery is often required along with months of therapy before returning to normal activities.
