How to Take Care of a Pulled Leg Muscle
Muscle strains or pulled muscles can be very painful. A pulled leg muscle can make walking difficult. A pulled muscle happens when the muscle is over-extended in some way. The medical term for a pulled muscle is a strain. A strain can simply consist of the muscle being stretched or could actually be a tear in the tendon itself. A strain can effectively be treated with ibuprofen and alternating ice and heat on the affected muscle.Things You'll Need
- Ice Pack
- Heating pad
- Ibuprofen
Instructions
Stop doing the activity that caused the leg muscle strain. It's likely you will know that you pulled the muscle; there will be tenderness and sharp pain when the injured muscle is used.
Administer an ice pack on the affected muscle in the first 24 hours of the injury. Use ice cubes wrapped in a washcloth if you do not have an ice pack. Hold the ice on the muscle in five-minute intervals for 20 minutes. Wait 30 minutes and apply the ice again. After 24 hours, you can begin to alternate between ice and a heating pad, which should be used for 20 minutes, then stopped for 30 minute, followed by ice for 20 minutes.
Take over-the-counter ibuprofen every four to six hours. The normal dose is 2 tablets per dosing. This drug is non-steroidal and will help reduce inflammation and pain.
Rest the leg over a three-day period, walking and bending as little as possible. The idea is to allow the muscle to heal so that you can assume normal activities. A strain will heal much quicker by allowing it to rest in the early stage of the injury.
Gently stretch the muscle in your leg if it begins to feel better after a few days. Sit on floor, with legs slightly apart, and touch your toes one leg at a time, holding the stretch for a few seconds. Stretching the muscle keeps the blood flowing and helps in the healing process.