1. Know Your Abdominal Strain
An abdominal strain is an injury to the rectus abdominus, or front muscle of the abdomen, though injury can also occur to the obliques, or side muscles. An abdominal strain results in sudden pain. You will find it hard to bend or tighten the muscle. For instance, you will feel immediate pain if you try to do an abdominal crunch or bend to touch your toes. You may have swelling or muscle spasms. The severity of a strain is broken down into three grades: Grade I is a mild strain, Grade II is a strain with moderate discomfort, and Grade III is the most severe, with swelling and maybe even bruising.
2. An Equal-Opportunity Injury
Though many football players or weightlifters fall victim to this injury, you don't have to be a professional athlete to suffer an abdominal strain. This can occur when lifting a heavy object incorrectly. An abdominal strain doesn't know or care who you are or what your normal level of activity is. If you perform a movement like lifting a heavy box without using proper form, you may have a visit from a very unwanted guest: an abdominal strain.
3. Strain, Strain Go Away
Treatment for an abdominal strain is relatively simple: rest and ice. You may also use compression to restrict movement. Take some ibuprofen to reduce possible swelling. Gentle stretching may help, but stop if this causes pain. For a more severe injury, it's best to seek medical attention. A physician can make an accurate diagnosis (and rule out a more serious injury such as a hernia) and likely direct you to a physical therapist or sports injury specialist for rehabilitation. A steroid injection or even surgery is possible if the strain persists.
4. Return to Active Duty
If you're like most people, you might be impatient about returning to your normal activities. The length of time it takes to get rid of an abdominal strain depends on the severity of your injury as well as your response to treatment. Recovery may take weeks or months. A good way to determine if you are fully healed and is to be able to touch your toes or do a crunch without feeling any pain. Remember, returning to active duty too soon may result in straining your abdomen again, maybe worse than it was before.
5. Keep Out of the Strain
To paraphrase Smokey the Bear: only you can prevent abdominal strains. Tone your abdominals by doing regular exercises like sit-ups, crunches or using an abdominal machine. Strengthen your core muscles, which include not only your abdominals but your lower back as well. Perform exercises on a stability ball. When lifting, use your legs and keep your back straight with the object held close to your body. Stretch before doing any physical activity by holding one arm over your head and bending at the waist as far as you can to one side then the other. When it comes to abdominal strains, an ounce of prevention can lead to a lifetime of healthy abs.
