Muscles
of the back may produce spasm or extreme muscle stiffening
after a traumatic injury or repetitive strain. The difference
between a repetitive strain and a traumatic injury is
that with a repetitive strain the muscles are being irritated
over a long period of time until they reach a point that
finally triggers the spasm. The muscles go into spasm
to protect the area from further injury.
For
example, a person who has improper posture at a computer
on a regular basis, or a golfer who plays frequently with
bad form may have their muscles tighten over time, but
the muscles may not start to spasm until something as
simple as reaching for a glass of water occurs. This spasm
can be extremely painful and lead to tearing of the muscles
if undue stressors are placed on them. This tearing will
than lead to guarding of the back musculature through
extreme stiffening to protect the area from further harm.
With
proper care for the area, the pain in the back musculature
should lessen over three weeks, but it should be noted
that the healing of the area continues and doesn't even
peak until at least six weeks following the initial injury.
This is due to scar tissue formation which initially acts
like the glue to bond the tissue back together. Scar tissue
will continue to form past six weeks in some cases and
as long as a year in severe back pulls.
The
initial approach to treating a muscle pull is to support
and protect the muscles, help them to loosen up and lessen
the pain and minimize any inflammation. After the scar
tissue has begun to accumulate, it will be important to
perform procedures which help break down the scar tissue
in the muscle so as to let the muscle regain its normal
flexibility and lessen the chance of further injury. While
exercise is appropriate for breaking down scar tissue
once the area has healed, it may further irritate the
area during the initial stages.
Therefore,
other methods such as ultrasound, massage, and gentle
chiropractic adjustments may be safely used to accomplish
this early on in the injury. As each Muscle Spasm condition
is different, always consult with Dr. Cady to determine
what treatment is right for your particular situation.
Call us today at 408-739-2273 and start
feeling better!
