# What does it mean to "pull a muscle"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-to-pull-a-muscle/783080>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 26, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-to-pull-a-muscle/783080 "2017-03-26T17:13:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-to-pull-a-muscle/783080/1 "2017-03-26T17:13:13Z")

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You hear it all the time. I was working out and I “pulled a muscle”. We all know the feeling, but just what exactly does it mean to “pull” a muscle? Is it a tear? A stretch? A cramp?

And what’s the best way to treat it?

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**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-to-pull-a-muscle/783080/2 "2017-03-26T17:15:42Z")

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Ranges from an overstretch to a small partial tear.

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**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-to-pull-a-muscle/783080/3 "2017-03-26T17:21:36Z")

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Treat the same as any injury.

Rest, elevation, icing as soon as possible. Elastic wrap and/or tape to support the injury.  
There has been a recent rethinking of continued icing to aid healing but it’s still good for immediate treatment.  
There’s some studies that show extended icing will actually slow healing.

Once the injury has healed, light workouts and light to moderate stretching just short of pain can be resumed.  
_Any_ pain is a signal to stop.

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**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-to-pull-a-muscle/783080/4 "2017-03-26T17:24:55Z")

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PRICE seems to be the current mnemonic (having recently suffered a full quad tear in two stages… sigh).

Protect the injured part.  
Rest.  
Ice.  
Compression.  
Elevate.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-to-pull-a-muscle/783080/5 "2017-03-26T17:33:50Z")

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Okay. Got it. Thanks all.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-it-mean-to-pull-a-muscle/783080/6 "2017-03-26T17:41:20Z")

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It’s worth adding that muscle strength and bulk are added by gently damaging the muscle. By overstraining it and causing microtears throughout its structure, the body heals it and adds reinforcement (more cells and stronger bonds) to increase mass and strength. It’s overdoing it in any one step that’s bad.