Muscle injuries can occur in many different ways, from direct trauma to exceeding your muscle's capacity for work. When you have an injury to one of your muscles, you may experience pain, swelling and a limited range of motion. Implementing an effective recovery program is the best way to bounce back from a muscle injury so you can quickly return to your daily life or training program.
Injury Phases
The quickest way to recover from a muscle injury is to understand the various phases of an injury and what treatments you need to hasten your progress through them. The first phase of an injury is inflammation, which can last up to 72 hours. The second phase is regeneration, when you form new collagen in the injured area for up to six weeks. The final phase is a remodeling of the collagen fibers, which lasts from three weeks to a year, depending on the extent of the damage.
Inflammation Treatment
Immediately after you receive a muscle injury, stop using the muscle and engage in the RICE treatment method: rest, ice, compression and elevation. Remove all weight from your injured muscle, wrap it snugly with an elastic bandage, raise it above the level of your heart if possible, and apply an ice compress for 20 minutes out of every 80 minutes. This method of treatment will reduce the damage of the injury and your overall recovery time.
Immobilization
A physician should assess your need to immobilize your injured limb. In some situations, immobilization can reduce the inflammation an injured person experiences, but in other instances it can lead to muscular catabolism and atrophy. According to a 2007 study published in the journal "Best Practice and Research: Clinical Rheumatology," the period of immobilization can last into the regeneration phase, but should only be continued long enough that a "scar of sufficient strength" is formed so mobilization can begin.
Exercise
Once a scar is formed on the injury, you should undergo an exercise program to regain muscle strength to preinjury levels. This exercise may range from practiced contraction or stretching your muscle to heavy strength-training workouts. A trainer may apply heat or massage during the final stages of the recovery to influence blood flow to your muscle. As full mobility is returned to your muscle, your trainer may introduce activity-specific exercises to a workout routine in an attempt to limit the long-term damage from the injury.
