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Speed up muscle strain recovery: 10 best strategies

How to speed up muscle strain recovery
  • Published: 7 Apr 2025

Muscle tissue makes for a good 45% of our body weight1. Just like our other organs, muscles, too, are susceptible to injury or trauma1. One such example is a muscle strain, also known as a “pulled muscle”, which is sudden and usually very painful2. A muscle strain occurs when the muscle is stretched too far or the muscle fibres are partially or completely torn3. You can strain a muscle while doing vigorous exercise2 or if your muscles are not in proper shape or by skipping your warm-up3. Strain can be mild, moderate or severe. Severe strains are less common, but mean that the muscle has torn completely3. Below are ten strategies to follow to speed up muscle tear healing.

 

How to Speed Up Muscle Strain Recovery: Acute Phase

The five primary fastest ways to heal muscle strain, listed in the P.R.I.C.E. procedure (a method used all around the world1) should be employed for the first 2-3 days4. 

  1. P- Protection. It is important to protect yourself from additional trauma by using a brace, crutches, or a sling5.
  2. R- Rest. It is best to remain inactive for the first 24-48 hours after tearing, and then to start moving again gradually and gently5. Even night-time rest is paramount; getting regular sleep is important both to prevent injury and achieve optimal recovery6.
  3. I- Ice. Icing the strained muscle immediately for 10-15 minutes may help bring down swelling and pain. You can repeat every two hours until pain and swelling go down5. With certain medical conditions (i.e., altered sensation, circulatory problems or Raynaud’s Syndrome), it is best to ask a physical therapist before using ice5.
  4. C- Compression. Compression decreases swelling5. It is a good idea to wrap the injured part with a dressing or bandage as soon as possible, while making sure it is not too tight and it does not hinder blood circulation5. You must take the dressing off at night5.
  5. E- Elevation. Elevate the injured part above the heart. This alleviates swelling and encourages blood flow. However, you must not elevate the injured part and compress it with a dressing at the same time5.
  6. Pain Management. It is best to go to your doctor or pharmacist for pain relief5. Using anti-inflammatory drugs may make you feel better, but there is no conclusive evidence that they accelerate healing3.
  7. See a Doctor. It is important that you see your doctor, especially when you are experiencing pain along with difficulty breathing or dizziness, muscle weakness that affects day-to-day activities, fever, signs of infection (redness or swelling) around the muscle, or when pain does not go away by using the above-listed strategies7.


How to Speed Up Muscle Strain Recovery: Next Phase

  1. Treatments. After the acute stage, muscle strain treatment consists in physical therapy with personalised interventions geared towards regaining flexibility and muscle strength2,8; additionally, massage therapy may reduce inflammation and speed up recovery in general9.
  2. Nutritional Support for Healing. A balanced diet is one strategy to counteract the negative effect of a muscle injury10. Avoid nutritional deficiencies and do not lower your protein intake, even when lowering calorie intake10.
  3. Hydration and its Impact on Healing. Water is good for you. Proper hydration helps reduce inflammation/swelling and increases blood flow and nutrient delivery to the injured area11, not to mention fostering the elimination of toxins12.

Following a correct therapeutic intervention, together with these ten simple strategies, can help to speed up recovery. Taking care of yourself immediately after the injury and continuing to do so in the period following is very important4. The psychological side should not be underestimated either: accepting that you have had a small accident and not wanting to immediately and at all costs resume intense sports activity is important to avoid getting hurt again or making the situation worse4.

 

Reference:

  1. SantAnna J. P. C., Pedrinelli A., Hernandez A. J., Fernandes T. L., “Muscle Injury: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment”. Rev Bras Ortop (Sao Paulo). 2022 Jan 20;57(1):1-13. doi: 10.1055/s-0041-1731417. PMID: 35198103; PMCID: PMC8856841, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8856841/
  2. Noonan T. J., Garrett W. E. Jr., “Muscle strain injury: diagnosis and treatment”. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 1999 Jul-Aug;7(4):262-9. doi: 10.5435/00124635-199907000-00006. PMID: 10434080, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10434080/
  3. Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS-USA), “Muscle Strain: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment”, 17 June 2024
  4. National Health Service (NHS-UK), “Sprains and strains”, 23 April 2024
  5. NHS (UK), “Management of acute injuries (sprains and strains) PRICE guidelines”, 16 July 2024
  6. Chennaoui M., Vanneau T., Trignol A., Arnal P., Gomez-Merino D., Baudot C., Perez J., Pochettino S., Eirale C., Chalabi H., “How does sleep help recovery from exercise-induced muscle injuries?”, J Sci Med Sport. 2021 Oct;24(10):982-987. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2021.05.007. Epub 2021 May 18. PMID: 34074604, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34074604/
  7. Mayo Clinic (nonprofit USA), “Muscle pain – When to see a doctor”, 27 April 2023
  8. Maffulli N., Oliva F., Frizziero A., Nanni G., Barazzuol M., Via A. G., Ramponi C., Brancaccio P., Lisitano G., Rizzo D., Freschi M., Galletti S., Melegati G., Pasta G., Testa V., Valent A., Del Buono A., “ISMuLT Guidelines for muscle injuries”. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. 2014 Feb 24;3(4):241-9. PMID: 24596685; PMCID: PMC3940495. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3940495/
  9. Crane J. D., Ogborn D. I., Cupido C., Melov S., Hubbard A., Bourgeois J. M., Tarnopolsky M. A., “Massage therapy attenuates inflammatory signaling after exercise-induced muscle damage”. Sci Transl Med. 2012 Feb 1;4(119):119ra13. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3002882. PMID: 22301554, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22301554/
  10. Tipton K. D., “Nutritional Support for Exercise-Induced Injuries”. Sports Med. 2015 Nov;45 Suppl 1:S93-104. doi: 10.1007/s40279-015-0398-4. PMID: 26553492; PMCID: PMC4672013. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4672013/
  11. Kim J., Sung D. J., Lee J., “Therapeutic effectiveness of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization for soft tissue injury: mechanisms and practical application”. J Exerc Rehabil. 2017 Feb 28;13(1):12-22. doi: 10.12965/jer.1732824.412. PMID: 28349028; PMCID: PMC5331993. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5331993/
  12. Godman H., “Best ways to recover from a muscle strain”, Harvard Health Publishing, 1 July 2024
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