How To Treat Abdominal Strains Video

Abdominal strains can occur during many physical activities and can be managed with rest and by staying in shape. Learn how to treat abdominal strains and stay fit in this sports medicine video.

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Stay in shape
Don't overdo exercise
Don't hold your breath when lifting
Seek doctor if pain lasts over a week

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Grant Fowler, M.D. works at the famous Clemens Institute at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, Texas. The Clemens Institute is the largest, most comprehensive medically based sports program in the Southwest.

DR. GRANT FOWLER: We're talking about an abdominal strain. An abdominal strain is a pulled muscle in the abdomen. There are several layers of abdominal muscles and if you overdo it, you can pull one, just like you can pull a hamstring or any other muscle in the body. How would you prevent it or how would it occur? One thing is staying in shape and not overdoing it and not doing something you're not used to do doing all the time. One good pearl you want to do if you're lifting something heavy or pushing something or pulling something very heavy, you want to make sure you don't hold your breath. It's kind of a natural concept to get stronger or to work harder you would hold your breath doing something with the strain. You want to avoid that because that possibly could even evoke a hernia, which would be the worst kind of thing associated with a strain. So how would you know when to seek help? Anything that doesn't get better probably in about a week or so, you probably should seek help. If it's just something over-the-counter alleviates the symptoms like some naproxen sodium or ibuprofen or something like that, then probably it's not something dangerous that would need to see a physician for. You might try a heating pad, just like you would do a pulled muscle anywhere else. And the main cause is just really overdoing it, lifting something heavy if you're not used to doing that, or being out of shape, because your abdominal muscles do need a little exercise from time to time to keep them in shape.

How to Treat Abdominal Strains Video

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