Can a Massage Gun Help For Pulled Muscles? Experts Opinion
We all have experienced the discomfort caused by pulled muscles at some point in our life, whether during playing sports or performing daily life activities. A pulled muscle is not only extremely painful, but it also limits your mobility until you are completely healed. That's why everyone wants to recover from it as soon as possible. As a massage gun is occasionally used for treating the muscles related problems such as soreness and spasms, many of us wonder if a massage gun is also useful for the treatment of pulled muscles or strain too? The answer to this question is explained in the following article including brief information about pulled muscles.
WHAT ARE PULLED MUSCLES?
A pulled muscle which is also known as muscle strain is a painful condition that happens when your muscles become overstretched or tear. This stretching or tear can be caused by an accident, extreme use of a muscle, or inappropriately using a muscle. They are very common in sports and during extreme workouts or exercise, as the use of muscles is extreme in such activities, however, sometimes they can happen during normal life activities like lifting some heavy weight or bending the muscles in the wrong way. Any muscles in your body can be pulled or torn but the most affected areas are the lower back, neck, shoulder, and hamstring. Muscle strains are uncomfortable and can limit the mobilization of the affected area. Mild to moderate strains can recover on their own or by using some home base treatment whereas severe strains may require medical attention.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF PULLED MUSCLES?
Muscle strain can happen if,
- Muscles are not flexible enough
- Muscles are not warmed up enough before doing any physical activity
- Fatigue and Overexertion of the muscles
- Sometimes, muscle strains can even happen by just walking
If the muscle tears happen suddenly without any warning it is called acute muscle strain. They are usually caused either by injuries, trauma, or accident. Chronic muscle strains usually occur from repetitive movements like playing sports or adopting poor posture for a long period of time.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF PULLED MUSCLES?
Muscle strains or pulled muscles may cause many uncomfortable symptoms, including:
- bruising, redness, or swelling of the affected muscles
- muscle cramps and soreness
- weakness and stiffness of the affected muscles
- Difficulty in the mobilization of the affected muscle
- Pain even in the resting condition
The symptoms of mild to moderate muscle strains usually disappear within a few weeks. However, a month of healing may be required in case of severe strains.
IS MASSAGE HELPFUL FOR PULLED MUSCLES?
The answer is yes, that massage can be helpful for pulled muscles as it helps in increasing the blood circulation of the affected area and speed up the healing process. However, it is important not to apply direct force to the affected area and just try to manipulate the surrounding tissues. That's why it should not be done by yourself but only by a professional therapist.
It is recommended to first consult with a doctor before using any massage therapy and if he gives you a go-head for massage then there is no need to make any hustle for picking up your massage gun and starting massage on your own. Instead, you should have to take help from a professional massage therapist who has sound knowledge and skills on how to massage to improvise the muscles recovery without any further harm to your injury.
CAN WE USE A MASSAGE GUN FOR PULLED MUSCLE?
No, the use of a massage gun for pulled muscles is not recommended. A massage gun no doubt is a very helpful tool for relaxing sore and tired muscles, however, there are certain conditions where they should not be used and pulled muscles are one of them. The application of a massage gun or any type of direct force on the strained muscles not only causes you pain but can cause more damage to injured muscles and prolong the healing time. In the worst scenario, the use of a massage gun can lead to calcification and bleeding of the pulled muscles. If you want to use massage for muscle strains then it should only be done by a professional massage therapist.