Treating Back Muscle Strains

Treatment of a lumbar muscle strain is important to understand. Once you know the cause of your symptoms, you can proceed with treatment. It is important that you be evaluated by a physician if you’re unsure about what is causing your low-back pain. There are low-back conditions that require immediate treatment.

Resting the back allows the inflammation to subside and control the symptoms of muscle spasm. Bed rest should begin soon after injury but should not continue beyond about 48 hours, as it’s just as important to not allow the muscle to become weak and stiff. Once the acute inflammation has subsided, some simple stretches and exercises should begin.

In addition to rest, anti-inflammatory medications help control the inflammation caused by the injury and also help to reduce pain. There are many anti-inflammatory options, so talk to your doctor about what medication is appropriate for you. Your doctor can also prescribe other medications as needed.

Proper conditioning is important to both avoid this type of condition and recover from this injury. Stretching and strengthening the back muscles helps control the inflammation and better condition the lumbar back muscles. The exercises should not be painful. Without some simple exercises, the low-back muscles can become weak, making it very difficult to fully recover from low-back injuries.

Know that even if you live an active, healthy lifestyle, your low-back muscles may be weak. When you have a low-back muscle injury, you should perform specific exercises that stretch and strengthen the muscles of the lower back, hips, and abdomen. These exercises are relatively simple, do not require special equipment, and can be performed at home.

If you have back pain that is persistent and home remedies have proven unsuccessful, schedule an appointment with our back specialist at Carolina Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Center by calling 704-865-0077 or requesting an appointment online.