Muscle Strain
A muscle strained or pulled muscle in the upper back is usually caused due to over-stretching or excessive force being applied to the muscle which might involve heavy or awkward lifting. Most often this will cause micro-tears of the muscle tissue but at times larger tears may result in a more significant injury.
What causes a muscle strain?
The muscles in our upper back are usually damaged due to prolonged postural stresses heavy or awkward lifting, bending or twisting, whole body vibration, history of back pain or excessive pressure being applied to the muscle.
What are the symptoms of a muscle strain?
Symptoms can vary from very mild to extremely severe, depending on the severity of the damage.
Symptoms may include one or more of the following:
- Pain in the upper back specific to the region where the damage occurred
- Referral of pain to surrounding muscles
- Muscle spasm
- Stiffness
- Difficulty performing every day tasks or sitting for prolonged periods
Physiotherapy treatment for muscle strains
Our specialist physiotherapists at Cleethorpes Physio Clinic focus treatment on your individual needs and goals in the hope of helping you return to your activities of daily living and hobbies as soon and in as few treatment sessions as possible. Whilst many may associate back problems with Chiropractic or Osteopathic therapy, our specialist physiotherapists are highly trained in this area and physiotherapy treatment can be extremely effective for muscle strains.
Physiotherapy treatment may include:
EARLY STAGE:
- Ice therapy to reduce inflammation, swelling and pain
- Gentle mobilisations to increase movement and decrease stiffness
- Ultrasound treatment to promote healing
LATER STAGE:
- Acupuncture
- Strengthening and core stability training to reduce pain and increase function
- Soft tissue massage to increase flexibility
