Pulled muscle in back is a common back injury, mostly occurring in players. However, wrong sitting, standing, or lying posture, and lifting heavy weights can give rise to pulled back muscle in any person. If you happen to develop such a back strain, you should try out certain things that will relax your strained muscle. This article provides information regarding the same.

A back strain causing frequent episodes of back pain is known as pulled muscle in back. Sports people are commonly at risk of developing pulled back muscle. However, it is not restricted to them only, as others may also suffer from it if they do not have the correct posture while doing physical activities. The common symptoms of pulled back muscles are muscle spasm, stiffness or tightness, and sharp pain in the strained muscle. This muscle pain may further radiate to surrounding muscles. Pain is generally caused by overstretching or tearing of the muscle. Several factors lead to pulled muscles in back. Some important and common ones are discussed below.

Causes

• Lifting something that is too heavy leads to pulled muscle in lower back.
• Lifting objects in a wrong position
• Unexpected bending of back muscle
• Getting muscle strained due to falling down
• Sitting or standing in a wrong posture
• Performing wrong back exercises
• Sudden increase in the intensity or count of back exercises
• Overstretching or tearing of back muscles
• Problems in spinal joints may result in pulled back muscle.

Treatment

• Take bed rest for a day or two to stretch out or relax the pulled muscle.
• Place a pillow under your knees so that minimum pressure is exerted on the back while you sleep. This will help relax the strained muscle.
• Apply ice pack on the pulled muscle for about 15 minutes. This will provide comfort and relief from the back pain.
• Gently massage the affected area with warm olive, mustard, or coconut oil in circular motion. This will relax the pulled back muscle.
• You may use either cold or hot compress on the back. It depends on your comfort. You may alternate them if you wish.
• Drink plenty of water. This will flush out the acidic byproducts of muscular activity. Otherwise, their accumulation in the muscles may further worsen the condition.
• Take over-the-counter pain killers like ibuprofen. Take only one or two tablets in a day. Their over consumption may give rise to other line of problems.
• Apply some topical pain relievers on the affected area to relieve back pain due to pulled muscle.
• Perform some back or torso exercises for back pain relief. This will also relax the pulled back muscle.
• Take a stroll or swim for short distances. These are the exercises that will provide some relief from pulled muscle.
• Another effective exercise is to lie straight on your back with your legs bent so that the knees touch your chest. Move the legs back and forth. This will gently improve blood circulation in the affected area.
• Warm up your body well before exercising or playing any sort of sport. Sudden physical stress increase the chances of straining your back muscles.
• Take help of yoga exercises to relax your body, and hence, the muscles in the back.

In case, you suffer from recurring strained back muscle, you may have weak muscles that support the back. You should work towards strengthening these muscles. First of all, include some back exercises meant for the same purpose in your exercise regime. In addition to this, follow a healthy diet. Your diet causes a direct impact on the physical state of your body. Therefore, eat healthy to stay healthy. It will still be better if you consult a health care professional so that a proper diagnosis and evaluation of the underlying cause, if any, can be done.

Disclaimer: This Buzzle article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.