Whether it’s from playing sports, exercising, or simply bad luck, muscle injuries aren’t something that should be taken lightly. Not only do they limit your range of motion and make even the simplest tasks more difficult, but if they aren’t adequately treated, they increase the risk of recurring problems. That’s why the team here at Atlas Body Works wants to help ensure you get the care you need when you’ve strained a muscle by offering these helpful muscle recovery strategies designed to get you back to your pre-injury form.
How to recover when you’ve injured a muscle.
Use the “RICE” method.
The “RICE” approach is an easy at-home muscle recovery strategy that can help heal a soft tissue injury such as a sprain, pull, or tear. This tried and true acronym consists of the following:
Rest – When you start to feel muscle pain, the best thing to do is take it easy for a while. This prevents the injury from getting worse and gives it time to start recovering.
Ice – Apply ice to the affected area for 20 to 30 minutes incrementally throughout the day. The cold keeps the area from swelling and reduces muscle spasms.
Compression - For at least 48 hours, apply pressure to the affected portion of your body to provide further protection against swelling.
Elevation – If the injury is in one of your legs, the ankle should be resting above the hip. For upper-body injuries, prop your arm up on a pillow or sling for optimal effectiveness.
Schedule a professional massage.
If you want to recover from your injury faster, you can have the affected area massaged on top of employing the method above. Massages are helpful muscle recovery tactics because they do two things. First, they help reduce the production of cytokines, which are an instrumental part of inflammation. They also help stimulate the mitochondria in your body and allow your cells to repair themselves. These two factors hasten your recovery after sustaining an injury.
Use the BALLANCER® PRO.
With decades of medical research at its back, this state-of-the-art piece of equipment is one of the safest and most effective ways to heal damaged muscles. It uses FDA-cleared technology and the principles of manual lymphatic drainage to provide unparalleled compression therapy. By letting this device massage your lymphatic system, you can remove excess fluids from your body tissue, absorb fatty acids, and produce more immune cells to help your body recover quicker and more efficiently. It is loved by athletes around the world for recovery. We offer upper, lower, and full body sessions!
Relax in an infrared sauna.
These tools emit infrared light that creates a radiant heat, which is absorbed by the surface of your skin, and they’ve been shown to provide numerous benefits when trying to recover from any type of muscle injury. The heat relaxes your sore muscles and breaks down the lactic acid deposits in your body to alleviate any lingering pain you’re experiencing. It also increases circulation, which allows your muscles to receive the oxygen they need to heal themselves faster.
Are you suffering from any type of muscle pain?
Then reach out to the experts at Atlas Body Works in Fairfax, VA. Our members are able to enjoy convenient access to numerous different types of muscle recovery services designed to get your body back to 100% quickly and effectively. Whether it’s one of our massage services, professional body contour wraps, or a relaxing time in our infrared sauna, we have everything you need to alleviate muscle soreness and get your back to a pain-free life. Read more about the various options we provide to our members, or book your appointment now with our easy-to-use online appointment system.