Everybody experiences lower back pain at some point. One of the most common causes of lower back pain, whether chronic or acute, is lower back strain. A pulled muscle in lower back occurs when the series of ligaments and muscles that hold your spinal column in place are stretched too far, leading to tissue tears. This weakens the muscles making them unable to hold the bones of your spinal column in place, which causes instability in your spine and leads to lower back pain. Lower back pain can also cause pain in other parts of the body since your nerves stretch out from the spinal cord throughout your whole body. A pulled muscle can be caused by falling, crouching, bending, lifting heavy objects and extreme physical exertion. Symptoms can range from mild to excruciating pain localized in the lower back. You might also experience some soreness and swelling in the lower back that is painful to touch. This may be accompanied by muscle spasms. Standing and walking can be a painful affair.

How to Deal with Pulled Muscle in Lower Back

First Aid

The first 48 hours after you’ve pulled muscle are critical to your recovery. The goal of treatment at this point is to reduce swelling, pain and muscle spasms.

1. Get Some Rest

You should cut back on your daily activities and exercise for about one or two days. This will give your back adequate time to heal.

2. Use an Ice Pack

Use an ice pack on the injured area for about 20 minutes at a go. Do this 4 to 8 times a day. Using ice helps reduce inflammation. Your blood vessels constrict due to the cold reducing blood flow to the area. Avoid applying heat during this time. The ice pack also helps numb the sore tissue, slows down nerve impulses, reduces tissue damage and helps with the natural healing process. Ice should be used during the first 48 hours after injury.

3. Compression

Apply pressure on the area around the pulled muscle in lower back to help reduce swelling. Ask someone to help you wrap an elastic bandage around the injured area. This will help apply pressure without too much effort. Don’t wrap the bandage too tight to avoid cutting off blood circulation. If pain increases as a result of the bandage, loosen it immediately. Watch out for any numbness or swelling around the wrapped area.

4. Medications

Use over the counter NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to help relieve swelling and pain. These include naproxen, ibuprofen and aspirin. You can also use muscle relaxers on a short term basis.

After the First 48 Hours, Do the Following:

1. Massage

Getting massaged around the pulled muscle helps promote blood flow and loosens the muscles. This helps accelerate the healing process and release endorphins, which are the body’s natural pain killers. Massage should only be done gently with the tips of the fingers to avoid aggravating the injury.

2. Chiropractic

Once the initial pain of the pulled muscle subsides, you can get a chiropractic adjustment to rectify the spinal misalignment. It will also loosen the back muscles and promote healing.

3. Heat

Heat can help with the healing of a pulled muscle in lower back. You should only use heat after the first 48 hours have lapsed. You can use dry heat from a heating pad or moist heat from a steamed towel. Heat will help enlarge the blood vessels increasing the flow of nutrients and oxygen to the injured muscles. Heat also helps stimulate the sensory receptors in the skin reducing the pain signals sent to your brain. It also helps get rid of stiffness by making it easier to stretch your muscles. You should never use heat and ice at the same time to avoid aggravating the injury.

4. Exercise and Stretching

After taking the measures described above, you might be able to reduce the pain enough to be able to do some exercise. This is an essential part of the long term recovery process. Make sure to stretch the muscles, tendons and ligaments around the spine. It might take a few weeks of stretching to see a positive change. Do stretching exercises two times a day and with time you will notice an improvement in your mobility.

You should also include regular exercise in your recovery plan. Exercising the muscles in your back will help accelerate the healing process. You will also have a healthier back overall. Regular exercise will also help strengthen the injured muscles, reduce stiffness and prevent future injury. You should strengthen your core muscles to a point where they can support the spine and surrounding structures.

NOTE: Should the back pain last for more than two weeks, there is a risk that the muscles might start to weaken if you do not exercise. This is because most people tend to avoid using the muscles because of the pain they feel. This lack of activity can lead to muscle atrophy and weakening. This will prolong the healing process and could actually make the condition worse.

The video below explains this in detail:

Tips for Prevention

Below are some tips for avoiding pulled muscle in your lower back:

  • Stop all activity of you feel pain in your lower back.

  • If you feel pain in your lower back after stepping up your workout routine take a break for a few days.

  • Strengthen your back muscles by working out regularly.

  • Do not sleep on your stomach. Try to sleep on your side or back every time.

  • Avoid bending at the waist when picking up something heavy. Bend at the knees instead.

  • Lose some weight.

  • Adopt a good posture when sitting.

ANY IDEAS ABOUT THIS TOPIC?

Please Log In or add your name and email to post the comment.

NAME:
EMAIL:
View All Comments /Add Comment