5 Easy And Effective Ways To Heal A Muscle Strain At Home

Elevate The Strained Muscle

If possible, elevate the injured muscle above the heart. For a strained leg muscle, individuals should lay down and prop up the leg with a pillow or rolled towel. This allows gravity to keep excess fluid from gathering near the strain and exacerbating the swelling. Keeping the strained muscle elevated also reduces pain and swelling and protects the muscle from further strain. It is possible to combine this strategy with light compression and ice application to further accelerate healing.

Engage In Light Foam Rolling

One of the easiest ways to prevent a muscle strain is by engaging in light foam rolling. Just a few minutes of proper rolling can improve an individual's mobility until every exercise has greater effectiveness and efficiency. The technique can also be used to treat muscle strains by loosening tension. When engaging in light foam rolling, individuals use a piece of hard foam to smooth their muscles. It can sometimes be a little bit achy or painful. Muscles are covered with a connective tissue called fascia, which tightens during periods of repetitive motion and inactivity.

A tightened fascia is what causes muscle 'knots,' which often lead to strain because they don't have enough range of motion to do the exercises. Foam rolling is more likely to be painful when individuals already have strained, sore muscles, but it's worthwhile for the overall release of tension. Foam rolling exercises can help with tension in the legs, hips, shoulders, neck, back, and arms.