Stomachmuscles.net

Abdominal muscle strains commonly occur in athletes at some point in their sporting lives. Basically a strained abdominal muscle is defined as a small tear or a minute perforation of the muscle. Even though the tears are small, they can cause significant discomfort. Most individuals develop a single episode of abdominal muscle strain but a few unlucky individuals have repeated episodes primarily because they do not bother to warm up.

Abdominal strains do cause continued discomfort if the tears are not allowed to heal. The cause of abdominal strains is typically caused by over exerting oneself during sporting activities; performing abdominal exercises before warming up; doing exercises at very high intensity; doing exercises incorrectly; lifting large weights without prior conditioning; making rapid movements with large weight; or causing excessive torsion of the body while in the unnatural state.

The symptoms of abdominal muscle tears may present themselves with constant muscle pain or stiffness after exercise. One may also feel rigid and have pain when the abdomen is flexed or extended. The abdominal area may also appear painful with deep palpation and there may even be areas of swelling or bruising. A complete muscle rupture is very painful and will disable you from exercise. The diagnosis of the injury may be made on a physical exam or the physician may use ultrasound.

There are ways to reduce muscle strains and decrease the chance of developing tears. The major reason why people develop abdominal muscle problems is primarily because they do not stretch prior to exercise. Over exertion without warming almost always leads to strains. Therefore, try and exercise in warm weather, drink plenty of liquids and warm up for at least 5-10 minutes before engaging in physical activity. The warm up can be just stretching or light jogging.
If you do develop abdominal muscle tears, then the treatment in most cases is supportive and rest. If you start to feel pain stop the exercise right away and rest. Apply cold ice packs for 20 minutes every 4-6 hours for the first 24 hours. If the pain is moderate, you may need pain medications. Give yourself a rest from exercise for a few days. Then gently start with warm ups before you jump into your daily routine. Start slow, if the severe symptoms do come back, then you should see a sports physician. If you still have a mild ache after exercise, start heat massages. Another option is to use light therapy or ultrasound guided massages.

In order to prevent abdominal strains never overexert yourself and get proper training. Perform exercises that will strengthen your abdominal muscles and learn how to lift heavy objects. If you feel tired, stop and rest. Anytime you feel tired, have pain and fever, it is time to seek immediate medical attention. Abdominal muscle strains are preventable if you warm up prior to exercise; even it is only for a few minutes.