Pulling a muscle is a terrible feeling. It hurts and limits your mobility for a significant amount of time. How significant, though?

Our AFC Urgent Care Monroe Road team answers this question and shares additional helpful information below, so keep reading!

What Is a Pulled Muscle?

A pulled muscle, or a muscle strain, is an injury to a muscle or a tendon, which is the fibrous tissue that connects muscles to bones. Minor injuries may only overstretch a muscle or tendon, while more severe injuries may involve partial or complete tears in these tissues.

Pulled muscles most commonly occur in the lower back and the muscles at the back of the thigh (hamstrings), but they can happen to any muscle on the body. We’ve listed some common muscle strain symptoms below.

Pulled Muscle Symptoms

• Sudden onset of pain
• Soreness
• Limited range of movement
• Bruising or discoloration
• Swelling
• A “knotted-up” feeling
• Muscle spasms
• Stiffness
• Weakness

How Long Will My Muscle Hurt?

Typically, discomfort from a pulled muscle will last between three to six weeks. On the other hand, recovery for more severe muscle strains can take several months.

Thankfully, there are many things you can do to prevent a pulled muscle, and we’ve listed a few of them below.

Muscle Strain Prevention Tactics

• If you’ve been injured before, allow proper time to heal from the specific injury.
• Stretch your muscles daily.
• Cross-train for sports by weightlifting or choosing another activity to strengthen your muscles.
• Warm up before exercise or intense activity.
• Eat foods high in potassium, like bananas and avocados, before exercise to prevent muscle fatigue.
• Properly hydrate during exercise.

A pulled muscle can happen to the best of us! If you’ve pulled a muscle or are experiencing pain or discomfort of any sort, don’t hesitate to visit our AFC Urgent Care Monroe Road center today!