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How to handle muscle strain in an emergency

Nov 05, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Wang Lei
Introduction
Emergency treatment for muscle strain generally includes immediately stopping physical activity, applying cold compresses to relieve symptoms, using compression bandages for stabilization, elevating the injured area, and avoiding blind massage. Continuing activity after a muscle strain can worsen the injury, leading to increased bleeding and swelling. Ceasing activity reduces further muscle stretching, prevents the injury from expanding, and allows the affected area to remain relaxed.

Emergency treatment methods for muscle strains generally include immediately stopping activity, applying cold compresses to relieve symptoms, using compression bandages for immobilization, elevating the injured area, and avoiding blind massage. Specific details are as follows:

1. Immediately stop activity: This is the primary step. Continuing activity after a muscle strain can worsen the injury, leading to increased bleeding and swelling. Ceasing activity reduces further muscle strain, prevents the injury from expanding, and allows the affected area to remain relaxed.

2. Apply cold compresses to relieve symptoms: Applicable within the first 48 hours after the injury. Use an ice pack or cold towel on the injured area for 15–20 minutes at a time, repeating every 1–2 hours. Low temperatures help constrict blood vessels, reducing bleeding and swelling while alleviating pain. Be careful to avoid direct contact between ice and skin to prevent frostbite.

3. Compression and immobilization with bandaging: Helps reduce swelling and stabilize the injured area. Wrap the area with an elastic bandage with moderate tightness—ideally loose enough to allow one finger to fit underneath. Excessive tightness may impair circulation, while being too loose provides no stabilizing effect. Proper compression limits muscle movement and helps prevent secondary injuries.

4. Elevate the injured area: Promotes blood return. Raise the injured limb above heart level; for example, prop up a leg with pillows if there's a leg strain. Using gravity in this way helps reduce congestion and swelling, relieves pain, and accelerates recovery.

5. Avoid blind massage: Massage in the early stage may worsen the injury. Within the first 48 hours after a strain, muscles are typically in a phase of bleeding and edema. Massaging at this stage can stimulate tissues and exacerbate bleeding and swelling. Gentle massage may be considered only after 48 hours when swelling has stabilized.

After a muscle strain, closely monitor changes in symptoms. If severe pain, continuously worsening swelling, or limited limb mobility occurs, seek medical attention promptly for evaluation.

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