Slipping on ice, improper exercise warm-up and overstretching during sports can all cause pulled muscles in the leg. The treatments are the same for similar levels of muscle damage, no matter what the cause. Only severe leg trauma requires surgical repair.
Home remedies and physical therapy are usually adequate in addressing pain relief and recovery issues. According to the NYU Langone Medical Center, common leg strains need between two weeks and three months to heal.
Restricted Exercise
Giving a pulled muscle time and opportunity to mend should begin right away after a leg injury. Walking or performing sports requires continual effort by a damaged ankle, knee, calf or thigh muscle, which needs its cellular energy for self-repair. Resting and elevating the affected area will provide inflammation and pain relief.
Any stress can further separate or tear muscle tissue after a leg strain, so the National Institutes of Health recommends 48 hours of bed rest, with exercise restriction after that as needed to prevent a relapse.
Ice Therapy
The NIH advises that ice therapy treatment on the inflamed leg be performed for 20 minutes at a time. A large reusable gel pack, chilled in the refrigerator, makes a comfortable and efficient compress.
If the leg strain is severe or located in the hamstring, long-term pain relief may be necessary. The ice remedy is safe to use often during the day, with or without medications, for the duration of the patient’s recovery.
Pain Treatments
The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that a cortisone injection treatment can provide a one-time block to the pain from severely pulled muscles in the hamstring. For less serious leg strains, nonprescription anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen and aspirin, effectively manage pain symptoms.
Alternative Therapies
Weight-bearing leg muscles may experience lingering soreness, especially as they return to exercise. The University of Maryland Medical Center lists acupuncture and chiropractic treatments as options for pain relief.
Chiropractic care may also help restore the patient’s range of motion in the leg. Massage therapy may improve function in the pulled muscle by increasing circulation and discouraging muscle spasms.
Targeted Exercise
Returning to activity gradually is part of the treatment for leg muscle pulls. This physical therapy can be self-guided or professionally supervised.
As the NYU Langone Medical Center relates, conditioning should begin with stretching the affected area gently and progress to targeted exercise. Movements that focus on the affected area will rebuild strength and health to make future injuries less likely.
