How do you treat a pulled oblique muscle?
Community Answer. You probably have pulled/strained your oblique muscle. You should apply ice to slow down the inflammation and swelling for 48 hours, and then afterward apply heat for 48 hours. When using ice or heat, do 20 minutes on, then 20 minutes off, and so on.
What is an oblique strain and how is it treated?
An oblique strain, AKA a side strain injury, is when one of the abdominal muscles (internal or external oblique muscles) becomes frayed, torn or detached. Often times from the lower four ribs, it is painful to breath, cough and laugh. This is treatable, with recovery ranging from weeks to months with the correct treatment plan.
What is the best pain reliever for oblique pain?
NSAIDs like aspirin and ibuprofen can help reduce pain and inflammation. Reducing inflammation is important for core muscles like obliques, which are crucial for movement. Apply ice for the first 48 hours. Ice is helpful for muscle pain, as the cold compress slows down blood flow and reduce swelling and inflammation.
What should I eat after an oblique strain?
If you have been approved for exercise following an oblique strain, consider consuming a good recovery drink or food within 45 minutes of completing that workout. This could be a smoothie with fruit and yogurt or milk in it.
How to recover from a oblique strain?
If you have been approved for exercise following an oblique strain, consider consuming a good recovery drink or food within 45 minutes of completing that workout. This could be a smoothie with fruit and yogurt or milk in it. Combining a carbohydrate and protein can provide optimal recovery for your oblique muscles. Drinking adequate amounts of water every day is also vital. The best approach is to drink water before, during, and after your workout. If you consider your workouts strenuous and you are sweating, you should seriously consider increasing the amount of water you drink. Our muscle tissue is about 70 percent water and fluids are lost during exercise, so replenishing is important. Sufficient protein is something else to think about if you have had an oblique strain. Lean protein can help rebuild damaged tissue. The recommended amount of protein is .7 to .9 grams of protein per pound of body weight.
How to tell if your oblique muscle is strained?
The following list covers the typical symptoms of strained oblique muscles, but each case of muscle strain is slightly different depending on the cause. Stiffness, especially when you wake up in the morning. Aching. Shooting pain in the lower chest region. Pain in the side of the abdomen when bending or twisting.
What is an oblique strain?
They are a group of important abdominal muscles that allow you to bend sideways and twist the trunk of your body. So, just where is the oblique muscle?
Why are oblique muscles important?
Obliques are used for maintaining balance, as well as for various activities, including movement and strength. They help us during heavy lifting and vigorous exercise, so it should not come as a surprise that those who are active or those who are professional athletes experience oblique muscle strain.
How to prevent pain from a sprain?
Compression – apply a compression bandage by wrapping your abdominal muscles in an elastic bandage designed for this type of injury.
What does it mean when you have a swollen oblique muscle?
Swelling. Bruising. Pain when laughing, sneezing, coughing, or breathing deep. Oblique muscle pain usually occurs during contraction and relaxation of muscles; however, it can happen during rest as well. If you have a minor strain, the pain is much worse when you try to engage in exercise.
Where are the obliques located?
We all have external and internal oblique muscles. External obliques are large and sit on the top surface of the abdomen right below the subcutaneous fat and skin.
What Is an Oblique Muscle Strain?
The external and internal oblique muscles function together to let you rotate and bend your torso easily. The external oblique muscles cover the larger part of your waist and lie close to the skin surface. The internal oblique muscles are located near the abdomen.
What Causes an Oblique Muscle Strain?
An oblique muscle strain is most likely caused when your torso—the part of your body (trunk) excluding head and limbs—gets twisted or rotated badly.
How Is an Oblique Muscle Strain Diagnosed?
See a doctor if you feel sudden pain in your abdominal area. Your doctor might order tests to rule out other conditions, such as a hernia —a condition when an internal organ pushes through the wall of a muscle or tissue.
What Is the Treatment for an Oblique Muscle Strain?
The most effective oblique muscle strain treatment is physical therapy. It will reduce inflammation and help you regain flexibility in your abdominal muscles.
How to treat oblique muscle strain?
Before trying any of the following exercises to treat your oblique muscle strain, consult with your doctor to avoid doing further damage. Stretch: Always pay attention to your body’s responses to the stretches and don’t stretch if it is painful. Stand keeping your feet slightly apart.
What are some exercises that cause oblique muscle strain?
Numerous activities have been known to lead to oblique muscle strain and pain, including the following: Bending or twisting in exercises. Rowing. Chronic coughing. Bowling forcefully in cricket. Raking soil. Lifting heavy tools (which are on the ground) Lifting with a pitchfork or shovel.
How to tell if you have a strain on your oblique muscle?
The most important symptoms of an oblique muscle strain are pain and stiffness. The strain may lead to a sharp pain along the lower chest and side of the abdomen due to forcefully bending or twisting the trunk. This pain occurs as the muscle fibers develop microscopic tears. You may notice the pain right after you pull your muscle or ...
What muscles do obliques connect to?
Keep in mind that your obliques connect your lower back, abdominal fascia, top portion of your hip bone, and ribs. The easiest way to remember this is to think of your obliques as your waist muscles. It is possible to strain or cause pain to your obliques from forcefully and suddenly bending or twisting, a direct trauma to the abdomen, or overuse. ...
Why is oblique muscle strain important?
Abdominal strain, including oblique muscle strain, is common among active people and athletes since the muscles are constantly engaged. Keeping them engaged allows the athlete to tighten their core and improve performance while executing skills with the entire body. If you notice oblique muscle strain, you should work to treat ...
How long after straining oblique muscle can you apply heat?
Heat Application. You will want to avoid applying heat for the first 72 hours after you strain your oblique muscle as this will slow down the process of healing. After three days have passed, use warm compresses to increase blood and nutrient flow. Don’t apply the heat directly to the skin; doing so may lead to burns.
How long does it take to recover from an oblique muscle strain?
It will typically take about six weeks to fully recover from an oblique muscle strain. Because of the long recovery time and near constant use of the muscles, you should start treatment as soon as possible. 1. R-I-C. Immediately after the strain occurs, you want to follow R-I-C and provide rest, ice, and compression.
How to help oblique strain?
In order to help with the pain of your oblique strain, you can use kinesiology tape to help reduce range of motion, stabilize the area, and also promote recovery. Dr. Sebastian Gonzalez with P2 Sports Care recommended Leukotape for an oblique strain as it’s more resistant to stretching than other options like Rock Tape and KT Tape. Stability and any sort of kinesiology tape is really meant to help you get through your day and help you prevent further damage, not necessarily as a treatment. We all have to continue living our lives with an injury though, right?
Why do I have oblique muscle strains?
Oblique muscle strains are caused when you overstretch the area beyond its limits causing the muscle fibers to tear. They’re commonly caused by trauma from sports, overtraining in the gym (too many sit ups!), or can even be caused by blunt trauma from sports like martial arts or boxing. You never realize how much you use a certain muscle ...
What is the obliques?
Your obliques are part of your abdominal muscles between your pelvis and ribs, making up your waist. When you’re dealing with a strained oblique, seemingly the only thing that you can do without feeling the pain from that strain is dream about not being injured. Oblique muscle strains are caused when you overstretch the area beyond its limits ...
How to heal a broken leg?
Let’s take a look at how you can start to heal and repair the damage. 1. Get a FREE Injury Assessment. If you don’t know what your injury is, how severe it is, or what the best next steps are for your recovery, then you can’t accurately or efficiently recover from your injury.
Can you stretch your obliques?
Once your pain level has dramatically dropped and you’re able to go about your day without the need for any sort of additional stability or kinesiology tape, you can begin stretching and strengthening your obliques.
Can you do situps at one time?
You’re not going to develop a six pack in one workout so doing hundreds of situps at one time isn ’t necessary. Don’t push past the pain, you should be feeling a good burn in your muscles, but not pain. Listen to your body! PRO TIP: Be sure to work both sides of your obliques. Don’t just focus on the injured side.
How to treat a strained oblique muscle?
1. Stretching. Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, bend in a reverse direction to touch your feet and hold the spot for 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, return to a normal standing position.
How to help oblique muscles?
So, be kind to your muscles by stretching before working out and doing physical activities. Warm up the muscles a little. If you happen to strain your oblique muscles, try some of the treatment options we’ve provided.
What is oblique muscle strain?
Oblique muscle strain occurs when you strain a group of muscles that make up part of your abdominal area, and it can really affect you as these muscles become engaged when you are bending or lifting an object. By the time you are done reading this article, you will know the difference between external and internal oblique muscles, ...
How long does it take for a sore muscle to go away after a workout?
To that end, there are some symptoms that can help you to know the difference. 1. Strains Last Longer. A sore muscle will usually go away within a 24-hour period.
What are the two types of muscles that make up the sides of the abdomen?
Oblique muscles are the muscles that make up the sides of your abdomen, and they are broken up into two different types: external oblique muscles and internal oblique muscles. 1. External Oblique Muscles. External oblique muscles are fairly large and run up the sides of your abdomen.
How to fix a muscle strain on the side of the knee?
Lie on the side that has the muscle strain with your knees bent. Lift your body up with the arm of the injured side, and try to keep the body as straight as possible. Hold this position for 20 to 25 seconds before resting and perform two or three more reps.
What is the best way to heal a muscle injury?
1. Hot and Cold Compresses. A staple for any muscle injury, a hot compress can relax the muscles and promote blood circulation to help the muscle heal. A cold compress can help temper the pain of the injury.
How long does it take for an oblique muscle to heal?
Often times from the lower four ribs, it is painful to breath, cough and laugh. This is treatable, with recovery ranging from weeks to months with the correct treatment plan.
How long does an oblique strain last?
Any baseball fan can tell you that an oblique strain puts you on the Disabled List for at least 15 days if not more. As an athlete, I’ve had many injuries: a grade 2 hamstring tear, a rotator cuff strain, back pain, and cuboid syndrome.
Is an oblique strain more debilitating than all strains?
You don’t realize how much you use your core in daily life until it hurts to use it .
What is the best way to support the oblique muscle?
Brace: At times, a back brace can be utilized to support the Oblique Muscle and prevent it from further damage especially when you cannot take time off of work and your work demands lifting and bending frequently. Rest: Complete rest and avoiding activities that may further damage the Oblique Muscle is recommended.
What is the best medicine for oblique strain?
Some of the ways by which you can treat oblique strain or side strain are: Anti Inflammatory Medications: Anti Inflammatory medications in the form of Tylenol and ibuprofen can go a long way in relieving pain and inflammation due to oblique strain or side strain.
How to tell if you have oblique strain?
Some of the symptoms of oblique strain or side strain are: Sudden onset of acute pain around the ribcage on side or both the sides which worsens with moving, lifting, or bending. The pain experienced can be constant ache or may be sharp. Tenderness to palpation in the abdominal and ribcage area can be a symptom of oblique strain or side strain.
Why is the oblique muscle so common?
This muscle provides balance, strength, and numerous types of movements and allows us to do a lot of activities and hence is utilized quite a bit . This is the reason why it is common for people to suffer from oblique strain or side strain with associated pain.
What causes oblique strain?
Overuse is also one of the causes for oblique strain or side strain. An injury or trauma to the abdominal region can also result in oblique strain or side strain. Some of the activities that may result in oblique strain or side strain are: Persistent coughing and sneezing episodes. Lifting heavy objects.
How long does it take for a side strain to heal?
What is the Recovery Period of Oblique Strain or Side Strain? Normally, oblique strain or side strain should resolve within a period of two weeks with complete rest and abstaining from activities that may aggravate the condition.
Where are the oblique muscles located?
Anatomically, the oblique muscles are situated in the abdomen. There are two types of oblique muscles, internal oblique muscle and external oblique muscle with their main function being to twist, bend, and balance the body. Advertisement.
How to treat an abdominal muscle injury?
That said, the most important step after you sustain an abdominal muscle strain is to allow the muscle to cool down so that the inflammation can subside. Avoiding exercise to allow the injured muscle ...
What is pulled abdominal muscle?
An abdominal muscle strain, also called a pulled abdominal muscle, is an injury to one of the muscles of the abdominal wall. A muscle strain occurs when the muscle is stretched too far. When this occurs the muscle fibers are torn. Most commonly, a strain causes microscopic tears within the muscle. Occasionally, in severe injuries, ...
What are the different types of muscle strains?
Abdominal muscle strains are graded according to the severity of the injury: 1 Grade I (mild): Mild discomfort, often no disability. Usually does not limit activity. 2 Grade II (moderate): Moderate discomfort, can limit the ability to perform activities such as crunches or twisting movements. 3 Grade III (severe): Severe injury that can cause pain with normal activities. Often patients complain of muscle spasm and bruising.
How to heal a muscle after a sprain?
Apply ice to the injured area in the acute phase (the first 48 hours after injury), and then after activities. Before activities, gentle heat can help to loosen the muscle. One the injury is fully healed, you can avoid reoccurrence by practicing some common-sense preventive tips.
Which muscle gives you a six pack appearance?
Rectus abdominis: The muscle over the front of the belly that gives you a "six-pack" appearance when it's well developed. Internal and external obliques : Wrap around the sides of the body and help you bend. Abdominal muscle strains usually cause immediate pain in the area of the injured muscle.