JULIE HODGES | Commit to Being Fit

Sooner or later it’s bound to happen. You move the wrong way or you push too hard with your workout ... and ouch, you’ve pulled a muscle. Pulled muscles are no fun, but they don’t have to keep you down for long. Here’s what I do when I overdo it.

I take a three-stage approach to healing a pulled muscle. First, I rest and ice. Then I do consecutive heat/ice cycles and start to introduce small muscular movement. Finally, I separate the heat and ice cycles and progressively increase the use and movement of my injured area.

The first thing to do when you’ve pulled a muscle is to stop moving the muscle and apply ice to the area as soon as possible. The sooner you start icing the better.

At home, you can put ice into a Ziploc bag and then place it over your injury for about 10 minutes, or until you start to feel numb. Remove the ice and let your injury site thaw out. Then put the ice back on.

Repeat this ice on/ice off cycle a couple of times in a row. If you don’t have ice cubes to put in a plastic bag, try using a bag of frozen vegetables. Frozen peas work great.

It’s important to rest and ice for the first 72 hours. Don’t make the mistake of putting heat on a fresh injury. Save the heat for later. Ice will be your best friend.

I often draw an analogy between a pulled muscle and a fraying rope. If a rope is fraying, it will continue to fray if you continue to pull on it

Likewise, if you continue to use a pulled muscle you’re going to further the injury. Simply put, don’t move a muscle that’s been injured. Just because the muscle feels tight, don’t try to “stretch it out” either. Leave it alone and keep icing.

After the first few days of rest and ice, you should be feeling better. Now you’re ready for the second stage. Begin heat/ice cycles by applying moist heat to the muscle for about 10 minutes followed by ice for about 10 minutes.

Here’s a great trick for moist heat I learned from one of my physical therapist friends. Take a washcloth or small hand towel and wet it thoroughly. Wring it out and then pop it in the microwave for a minute or two until hot.

Take it out of the microwave (carefully!) and place it in a lightweight dish towel. Then apply the towel with moist heat to your muscle. Remove the towel when it has cooled.

At this point in the healing process you can start to move your muscle gently. Your goal is to gradually increase the range of motion. It’s OK to start stretching and testing your muscle, but try to keep it pain free. Listen to your body.

When you feel like you’re ready to start increasing the use of your muscle, remember this: Heat Before, Ice After. This is the third stage where I break the heat/ice cycle into heat only and ice only sessions.

Apply moist heat before your workout then ice after your workout. The heat will help warm up your muscle, increase blood circulation, and prepare it for activity. Icing after exercise will help decrease swelling and alleviate discomfort.

On your non-exercise days, try heating in the morning (before the day) and icing in the evening (after the day). Continue with the heat before/ice after until you’re fully healed.

I have had a lot of success with this program when healing a pulled muscle and I hope these tips can help you too.

Of course, if you have a more serious injury, experience significant swelling and pain, or have any concerns whatsoever about the nature of your injury, please consult your medical professional immediately.

This article is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice. Be smart about dealing with injuries and you’ll be back on track in no time.



Julie Hodges graduated from Cornell University and has a master’s degree in kinesiology and a minor in sports psychology from the University of Maryland. She is a former competitive gymnast and is ACSM Health & Fitness Instructor® certified by the American College of Sports Medicine. Julie and her family live in Anacortes. E-mail her with comments and questions at .