1. Quitting Time
To properly recover strained abdominal muscles, it is important that you take a break from your regular fitness routine, particularly those activities which spurred the injury in the first place. The first 3 to 7 days after injury are the most important and should be spent relaxing as much as possible. This stage is known as the acute stage, when muscle tissues feel hot and is inflamed. Activity during this period can quickly cause further injury to abdominal strains.
2. Get Well With Water
Water is an extremely important part of abdominal strain treatment. When muscles become injured, toxins are released which can build-up and cause stiffness and pain. Water not only helps to keep the muscles lubricated, it also promotes circulation to the area while flushing toxins, speeding recover.
3. Cooling the Burn
During the acute stage of injury, ice is the perfect way to treat strained abdominal muscles, as it helps to push toxins away from the injury, relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Apply ice packs to the are three to four times daily for 15 or 20 minutes. Once you begin light physical activity, you can apply ice after your workout to help prevent flare-ups of pain and inflammation.
4. Warming Things Up
Once the acute phase of the injury has passed and there is no heat or inflammation present in the abdominal region, you can begin to use heat instead of ice. Heat should never be applied to inflamed areas, as it promotes blood circulation and can aggravate swelling and pain; however, once things have calmed down, the increased blood circulation and warmth can help to loosen up stiff muscles and promote healing.
5. To Medicate or Not to Medicate
Anti-inflammatory medications can be very helpful during the acute stage to help reduce pain and inflammation; however, only continue with pain medications after this period if absolutely necessary. While it may be a relief to stop the pain, people are often tempted to return to physical activity too soon. While pain is masked, your injury is still present, so don't let the medication fool you or you may end up worse than ever.
