In the worlds of sports and exercise, muscle injuries are ubiquitous – and most people in the sports and exercise fields have experienced muscle problems at one stage or another. Studies show that injuries like these are common in sports such as football, and many leading players and athletes fall victim to them from time to time. However, what should you do if you suffer an injury to one of your muscles? This guide will explain the important steps to take if it happens to you.
Get Some Rest
The first thing to do in the event that you strain a muscle is to rest it. This might seem obvious, but to many people, it’s not the most obvious route at all. In fact, given that it usually means abstaining from all sports, exercise and practice for some time, it’s actually seen by many as the hardest route of them all. If you’re struggling to walk, then it may be worth taking time off work and resting at home with an ice pack. You should consult a doctor soon after the injury – though if you start to feel swelling, serious pain or another pressing problem, then it may be worth visiting accident and emergency.
Elevation and Ice
Once you’ve identified that the problem is a muscle strain, the next thing to do is apply some ice to the affected area. For each hour that you’re not sleeping, you should ensure that your injury is covered with an ice pack for a third of that time – so 20 minutes per hour. You can even use a packet of frozen peas or other vegetables as an ice pack! You should also consider elevating your leg to a higher position. You could, for example, place it on a stool or even on a table. That way, you’ll be able to assist with swelling reduction and hopefully decrease the amount of time you will need to refrain from playing sport or doing exercise.
Compression Clothing
In the long term, however, the best thing that you can do in response to a muscle injury is to resolve to make it less likely to happen again. Wearing compression clothing while exercising is a good idea in this regard: it improves blood flow to your muscles, making them less susceptible to strains. Posts by Tommie Copper on Facebook show the brand’s wide selection of compression clothing items – and with Tommie Copper items looking the part as well as containing muscle-protective features, you can stay chic as well as defended.
Muscle injuries, then, can cause significant problems. Not only can they cause pain, but they can also mean that you’re out of action for your team or from your sport for a long time to come. While there may be no sure-fire way to prevent an injury, there are ways to reduce, manage and heal the effects of a muscle injury once they’ve occurred. From getting some rest to investing in compression clothing for the future, there are plenty of steps that you can take to get better.
