San Francisco, CA     415-527-0271
MAG Physical Therapy, Pilates & Wellness
  • Home
  • About
  • Physical Therapy
    • Back Pain
    • Neck & Shoulder Pain
    • Knee Pain
  • Pilates
  • Blog
  • Contact
    • Contact Information
    • Talk To A PT On The Phone
    • Ask About Cost & Availability
  • Home
  • About
  • Physical Therapy
    • Back Pain
    • Neck & Shoulder Pain
    • Knee Pain
  • Pilates
  • Blog
  • Contact
    • Contact Information
    • Talk To A PT On The Phone
    • Ask About Cost & Availability

Do I Have a Pulled Muscle or Something Else?

7/3/2019

0 Comments

 
Unless you’re gifted with extraordinary medical abilities, you probably can’t immediately tell the difference between a pulled muscles or something else. Hey, let’s face it, most people aren’t doctors. Not everyone can instinctively tell where their pains are coming from. And, if you’re reading this post, my guess is that you might be one the ones who struggle a little. The good news is, though, it’s absolutely normal not to know the cause of your pain; both people who suffer from sudden, fleeting pain, as well as those who experience ongoing, chronic pain, are often dumbfounded as to its cause. More often than not, though, people jump to the conclusion that they’ve pulled muscles. The effects of this type of ill-informed opinion can be life-changing, and that is why we’re about to expose the hidden answers behind what it means to have a pulled muscles, and whether or not something completely different might be going on. [...]
What are pulled muscles, actually?

This is a good question, and it is the best place to start on your journey to discovering the true source of your pain. Remember, if you have an informed understanding of your ailment, you’ll be able to heal the source and permanently eradicated the pain. With that in mind, here is some information about what pulled muscles actually are and whether or not you have one of them, or, something completely different:



  1. Pulled muscles are muscles which are forcibly stretched and pulled beyond their capabilities. In other words, a pulled muscle is the result of a forceful movement exerted on that muscle. Take an elastic band as an example: as the band is stretched beyond its elastic means, it will eventually knot up or snap. This is exactly what happens to a muscle under the same conditions; a pulled muscle is the painful result of forced overextension.
  2. Alright, so how do you damage your muscles in this way? The most common activities leading up to pulled muscles include overuse, improper form during workouts, a failure to warm up and down before and after exercise, and skipping over stretching routines. Muscles need to be primed for exercise, and if this crucial step is neglected, they tend to be less flexible and more prone to damage and pain.
  3. That’s all good and well, but how can you then tell if you pulled a muscle or if you’ve done something else? Well, the biggest distinction between a pulled muscle and a different source of pain is the fact that your flexibility is limited after you hurt yourself. Essentially, this means you struggle to bend, stretch, or generally move the muscle. The muscle is tight and sore. In addition, you may experience swelling in the pulled area. You’ll most likely also experience stiffness and weakness in the muscle following the damage and, eventually, (if you don’t receive treatment for the correct diagnosis) you’ll become ‘knotted up’ in the area around the muscle as a greater amount of muscular tissue succumbs to stiffness and overuse. 

Here’s the problem, though: you may be experiencing all this and yet you’re still unsure whether you have a pulled muscle, or something else like, for example, a structural issue or pinched nerve. 
Luckily, there is a way to tell. Pinched nerves, in particular, effect different areas of the body and produce different sensations. Take a look:

What is a pinched nerve?



  1. Unlike a pulled muscle, a pinched nerve occurs when the body tissue around a nerve applies too much pressure to it. In other words, a pinched nerve has nothing to do with stretching or pulling: it is, in fact, the restriction of the nerve by its surrounding tissues and muscles. Let’s use another metaphor: a garden hose. Running through the garden hose is water vital for the plants in the garden. In the same way, your nerves carry vital information about the condition of your body to your brain. Let’s take it a step further: when the garden hose bends or is pinched, the water runs out and the plants suffer. Similarly, when the tissues around a nerve impede its ability to function correctly, the body is effected and you feel pain.
  2. Now, you may be thinking, ‘sure, but how is this pain different from a pulled muscle?’ First of all, the origin of the pain is different: discomfort from a pulled nerve is traced back to the nerves themselves, all of which are found inside the cartilage, tendons, bones, and muscles of the body. It is not the muscle which is sore, it is the actual nerve. Furthermore, the symptoms of a pulled nerve are different from pulled muscles, in that one may experience tingling, numbness, sudden bouts of weakness, burning sensations, and an increase of discomfort when trying to sleep. 

Both pulled muscles and pinched nerves are painful; they both decrease mobility and increase suffering, yet it is absolutely vital to understand that these two problems are treated very differently. The biggest mistake most people make is that they muddle the two, thereby exacerbating the pain and prolonging the healing process.

The thing is, if your discomfort goes untreated – or is treated incorrectly – you risk prolonged bed rest, extended periods off of work, a decrease in activity and mobility, weight gain, muscle weakness, and daily, extreme discomfort.  None of these sound particularly appealing and, if you’re reading this, it’s most likely that you’ve already experienced one or more of these results. It’s time to take action. 

So, if you’re unsure why you are experiencing pain, you feel as though you’re not getting any better, or you’re at the end of your tether when it comes to finding the right kind of help, then we invite you to give us a call, right now. Physical therapy offers you the chance to find and heal the true cause of your pain, thereby allowing you to access the pain-free life you deserve. Why not try it today? Click the button below to speak to a specialist, right now. We look forward to hearing from you. 

Talk To A PT On The Phone
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    "We Help Active Adults, Athletes And Children In San Francisco Return To The Workouts And Sports They Love Without Medication, Injections Or Surgery."

    Archives

    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018

    Categories

    All
    Aches
    Achilles
    Aging
    Ankle Injury
    Arthritis
    Avoiding Back Pain
    Avoiding Back Pain While Driving
    Back Pain
    Back Pain While Driving
    Balance
    Benefits Of Exercise
    Bulging Disc
    Causes Of Sciatica
    Concussion
    Core
    Core Strength
    COVID-19
    Diets
    Different Practitioners
    Effective Telehealth
    Exercise
    Exercise Routine
    Fall Hiking
    Falls
    Fear
    Golf Pain
    Headache
    Headaches
    Head Injury
    Healthy
    Healthy Habits
    Heel Pain
    Herniated Disc
    Hidden Causes Of Sciatica
    Hiking Injury
    Hip Pain
    Hip Replacement Surgery
    Holiday Season
    How To Avoid Running Injuries
    How To Avoid Running Injury
    Importance Of Core Strength
    Importance Of Warming Up
    Injury
    Jobs
    Knee Pain
    Knee Replacement Surgery
    Low Back Pain
    Muscles
    Neck Pain
    New Year
    Online Visits
    Outdoor Exercise
    Overuse Training
    Overuse Training Syndrome
    Pain
    Pain Free
    Pain Killers
    Pain Language
    Pains
    Physical Therapist
    Physical Therapy
    Physical Therapy Didn't Work
    Pinched Nerve
    Piriformis Syndrome
    Plantar Fasciitis
    Posture
    Preventing Injuries
    Prevent Injuries
    Pulled Muscle
    Reasons Why Previous Physical Therapy Didn't Work
    Recovery
    Rest
    Routine
    Running
    Running Pain
    Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
    Safe Fall Hiking
    Safe Hiking
    Scar
    Scar Tissue
    Sciatica
    Self-isolation
    Shoulder Pain
    SI Joint
    Sleep
    Sports Performance
    Staying Active And Mobile
    Staying Healthy
    Strength
    Stress
    Stress Management
    Stretches
    Telehealth Physical Therapy
    Thinking Of Getting Hip Replacement
    Thinking Of Getting Knee Replacement
    Tight Muscles
    Tips For Facing Colder Weather This Winter
    Tips To Avoid Back Pain
    Tips To Avoid Running Injuries
    Tips To Avoid Running Injury
    Tips To Maximize Workout
    Upper Back Pain
    Warming Up
    What To Do With Headaces
    What To Do With Low Back Pain
    Winter Workout
    Winter Workout From Home
    Work From Home
    Working From Home
    Working From Home With Low Back Pain
    Work Out
    Workout From Home
    Work Out Routine
    Wrist Pain

    RSS Feed

MAG Physical Therapy, Pilates & Wellness
​
Address: 
3248 Scott Street, San Francisco, CA 94123


Phone Number: 
415-527-0271


Email: 
​
melissa@magptpilates.com


Office Hours:
 By Appointment Only


​

©MAG Physical Therapy, Pilates & Wellness 2018+ All Rights Reserved
​


Privacy Policy (click here) 

MEDICAL DISCLAIMER:
All information on this website  is intended for instruction and informational purposes only. The authors are not responsible for any harm or injury that may result. Significant injury risk is possible if you do not follow due diligence and seek suitable professional advice about your injury. No guarantees of specific results are expressly made or implied on this website. 
​

                                                     Created by PT Website Secrets
                              
​