An oblique muscle strain can be a real pain in the butt because the oblique is a muscle you don’t think about until it is injured. When you have a strained oblique, you can pretty much count any twisting motions out because they become too much to bear. The obliques along with the abdominal muscles make up the superficial core. Meaning that they are the core muscles that you can see and that make you look physically fit. When people decide they want that sexy six-pack, they often hit the obliques hard.
Oblique Muscle Strain – Anatomy
When you sustain a strained oblique, it compromises the integrity of the entire core. The core is made of the abs, the transverse abdomens, and the Oblique muscles. They all have one job, and that is to help keep the spine stable. If you are an athlete, for example, as you are running the core wants to be stable. The more the spine is unstable, the less efficient you are. Most energy leaks athletes have start with weak core muscles.
You don’t have to be an athlete to use the obliques though. Anyone can use the oblique muscles. You could reach down and grab a box and have to put to twist while you are picking it up and feel something strain on your side. We use the oblique on a daily basis to complete all of our twisting motions.
Causes of Strained Oblique
A strain is when a muscle tears from the stress it is put under. An oblique muscle strain will often happen when you try and pick something up and twist, while the oblique is not adequately warmed up. It can also happen during most throwing motions as the body must twist to throw with optimal efficiency and power.
Another cause of a strained oblique is overuse of the muscle. If you are doing a lot of twisting motions on a daily basis and not giving the muscle the chance to recover, it may eventually become a strain. Since the muscle is one of the most used in the body, you will definitely feel an injury.
Activities that lead to Oblique Muscle Strain Include:
- Persistent coughing and sneezing
- Lifting heavy objects
- Rowing a heavy boat
- Ab work without a proper warm-up
- Sitting with poor posture then making a sudden move
Treatment of Oblique Muscle Strain
Depending on the severity of the strain, a strained oblique can be quite painful. You may find it difficult to go through your normal day’s activity without first getting the proper treatment. The area helps to protect vital organs so any time there is a pain in those areas it is important that you get the correct medical attention to make sure nothing worse is going on internally.
Treating the oblique strain usually starts with rest, a bit of ice and even some painkillers but those are all short-term remedies for feeling better. In the long run, if you want to prevent long-term issues, you need to get treatment.
What happens when strained muscles are just left to heal is that they often heal with scar tissue. Scar tissue is not flexible like normal muscle tissue meaning it can make it easier to tear other areas close by. You want to make sure scar tissue is being laid minimally and if it is being laid you want to make sure that it is being treated so that it is pliable.
Do What You Can Do Without Pain
The body is not meant to do anything for weeks. The better approach is to do what you can. Maybe on day 1, you cannot walk at all. In a few days if you can walk, then you should walk. If you can jog, then you should jog, but it all must be 100% pain-free. You should not be trying to tough your way through it.
Brace for Strained Oblique
Getting a brace for your back will actually help you not to use your obliques. The reason this is good is that it can stop you from making a quick, sudden movement that can do a lot of damage. The best thing about the brace in the early days is that it is a reminder that you are hurt and need to be more aware.
The Quickest Route Back from Oblique Muscle Strain
If you want to get back from a strained oblique quickly, you need to make sure you get with a sports medicine healthcare provider. They are going to be able to help you evaluate where you are while creating a game plan for getting back healthy as quickly as possible. They are also going to be able to use different skill and modalities to help you. Your healthcare provider will have information no one else can have because they are evaluating you in person.
Finding The Best Local Sports Medicine Providers for a Strained Oblique
9INE POINT Health is the best place to start your search for a health care provider to help you stay healthy. The key to success as an athlete is staying healthy and making sure the injuries are dealt with appropriately. Any athlete that plays a contact sport is at more risk of a strained oblique, and the key to success as an athlete is staying healthy.
9INE POINT Health lets you search for providers by type and skill. For example, you can look for a Physical Therapist with any skill set you need. It does not matter what kind of provider you need, 9INE POINT Health can help you find them and help you to sort through their skills.
If you are unsure where to start your journey, 9INE POINT Health will ask you questions and help you figure out the best starting place. All you have to do is answer a few questions. From there, 9INE POINT Health will connect you with the type of provider best suited for your needs. It does not matter if you are injured or making sure you don’t run into Oblique Muscle Strain issues.
The platform makes it easy to compare health providers as they are all given a 9INE POINT Number. Once you are shown the best local options, how do you know which is the best? Reading bios and reviews is just not enough because you need more than that.
Skill Sets to Look for In Sports Medicine Providers
Skill sets are the things healthcare providers learn after they graduate. A healthcare provider can take courses and get certifications for different skill sets. These skill sets are valuable and help them approach injuries from different perspectives so that you can get the best help at the right time for any Oblique Muscle Strain issues.
- Dry needling
- Acupuncture
- Joint Manipulation
- Active Release Technique
- Graston Technique
- Functional Movement Screen
- Fascial Stretching
- Strength and Conditioning Coach
- Athletic Trainer
- Sports Background
- And many more
KHO Health was acquired by was acquire by 9INE POINT in the summer of 2019 and is now referred to as 9INE POINT Health.
9INE POINT Health was created by 9INE POINT in '19 as a means to provide athlete-driven resources to "Protect Athletes' Minds, Body and Belly". As well as be a platform for healthcare providers and other specialists to display their knowledge.