Any suspected strain that results in complete loss of strength should be examined by a physician to determine if a cast is needed. For all strains, there are five main steps to caring for the injured muscle. These steps are also known as the PRICE. This includes the protection of the muscle to limit further damage, resting the muscle, ice, compression, and elevation.
In addition to the PRICE formula, seeking out pain relief through muscle pain relief cream like Hempvana Platinum can allow for a more comfortable recovery from an otherwise painful muscle strain.
Below are six ways to help recovery from a mild muscle strain. These are recommendations for those who have mild muscle strains. For serious strains, it is advised to seek medical expertise and to follow the instructions of a licensed medical professional.
Protect
When a muscle is damaged, the likelihood of it getting damaged again or causing further injury increases. Mild muscle strains are the slight tearing of muscles, and if the muscle is not adequately restricted or protected, these slight tears can develop into more serious muscle strain injuries.
The purpose of the protection part of the PRICE formula is the prevention of exacerbating the injury. Interventions for the protection of strained muscles can include braces, crutches, or other devices to limit the strain placed on injured areas.
Many professional athletes are aware of the need to protect strains, and it’s why you can see many professional football players with muscle wraps, braces, or other immobilizing devices even if they don’t have a major injury.
For mild strains, it is still possible to go about your day to day activities as long as the injured muscle groups are protected as much as possible from reinjury.
It should be noted that the utilization of wraps should be limited and should be removed at night to avoid decreased circulation to the extremities.
Rest
Rest is an important aspect of the healing process for muscular injury. When most people think of rest, the first thing that comes to mind is being bedridden and immobile for a period of time. While this may be required for some injuries, a mild muscle strain requires what is known as relative rest. Relative rest means that you simply rest the muscle groups relative to how you normally utilize the muscles.
For instance, if you were a sprinter with a muscle strain in your leg, relative rest would mean that perhaps you should walk laps rather than sprinting, and take it easy for the next week or so. The goal of relative rest is to give the muscle cells time to heal while also ensuring a range of motion is retained throughout recovery.
It is important to make relative rest a priority in the healing process because if it is not taken seriously you can open up the possibility of getting a worse injury that actually requires being immobile for a period of time.
Ice
Icing an injury is a great way to provide an immediate short-term reduction of pain and swelling at the site of injury. The application of cold ice on the skin reduces inflammation and provides a numbing sensation to the injured area which reduces the sensation of pain.
One key thing to note is that it is important to be careful with the application of ice, as exposing skin to ice for too long can result in damage to the skin and nerves. The general recommendation for icing an injury is to only ice the area for 10 minutes at any given time with break periods that are long enough to allow the area to warm back up. Additionally, when applying ice, there should be a barrier between the ice and the skin like a towel or thin cloth to avoid frostbite.
Icing an injury is a good way to achieve short-term pain relief at the onset of the injury, however after a day or so, icing is not as effective in the healing process. Finding alternative relief like Hempvana Cold As Ice can be a great way to get the same cooling sensation without having to carry around a wet bag of ice or worrying about frostbite.
The active ingredient, menthol, tricks the cold sensing receptors on the skin into sending the sensation of cold to the brain. The result is all of the cooling relief from ice without the hassle associated with ensuring you are following the proper icing procedures.
Compression
Compression is the application of pressure to an injury. Depending on the location of the injury, the type of compression can change.
For the typical limb muscle strain, a simple bandage wrap or compression sock can be utilized to apply pressure to the injured area. For non-typical strains like strains of the muscles in the back or neck, specialty compressions are generally needed.
Compression aids in the healing process by promoting blood and lymph circulation while simultaneously reducing swelling and pain. Many hospitals actually utilize forms of compression to aid in the healing process of wounds located in the legs and extremities. By increasing circulation and limiting inflammation, it can allow an individual with a sprain a potentially speedier recovery.
Elevation
Elevation is another post-injury procedure that should be done in order to reduce swelling and possibly promote a faster recovery. Proper elevation consists of having the injured site above the level of the heart. To accomplish this, a person is typically in a lying position with either their leg or arm propped up with a pillow.
The Hempvana Leg Ramp offers the best leg elevation experience you can get outside of a clinical setting. Pillows are typically utilized for at home elevation treatments of strains, however, the leg ramp offers a much more secure, comfortable, and ergonomic way to achieve leg elevation when compared to a wobbly tower of couch pillows.
Elevation works by reducing the accumulation of fluid and inflammation in the injured area. By having the injured site above the level of the heart, it limits the amount of fluid that is able to pool at the injured site. If an individual has a leg strain, the area will typically begin to swell from the body’s inflammation and fluid accumulation response to injury. Elevation pushes the fluid away from the site and can decrease discomfort and swelling.
Pain Relief Cream
The PRICE formula is a proven methodology to aid in the recovery from a muscle strain, and while it is effective in decreasing recovery time, inflammation, and pain, some individuals may still experience pain and discomfort.
In these situations, utilizing a topical analgesic like Hempvana’s Gold Pain Relief Cream can prove to be the added step to have a more comfortable road to recovery.
Whether topical or oral, a pain reliever can make the journey back to normal a little easier. While both pain relievers are effective in reducing pain, the advantage of a topical pain relief cream like Hempvana Gold is that it soothes the surrounding skin and provides moisture to the area, too. Applying compression, ice, and braces can irritate the surface of the skin over time. The hemp seed oil in Hempvana’s Pain Relief Creams can help combat dryness and irritation by providing moisture and hydration.
Conclusion
Muscle strains can affect anyone at any time. A simple trip or slip could lead to an unexpected and unwanted muscle strain. These six ideas on how to treat a muscle strain are a great way to take charge of a strain and get on a speedy road to recovery.
Following the PRICE formula and supplementing pain relief when needed is the best way to get the best recovery results. By going through the steps and recovering from a strain through the formula, you are giving your body the best shot at the speedy recovery it deserves.
With pain relief creams, braces, compression wear, and leg elevating pillows, Hempvana has you covered. With a money-back guarantee and a stellar reputation, you can rest assured that you will have all the tools you need to recover from a mild sprain in comfort.