Treatment of a Pulled Quad Muscle

There are some good options for quad pull recovery.  One common approach is RICE, which stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. The main ingredient in this approach is the icing, which is intended to keep circulation and swelling to a minimum.  The RICE method is typically done in the early stages (first 36 hours) of a quad muscle pull, with diminishing returns as time passes. 

One of the down sides of the RICE method is that if the muscle is in spasm, often chilling it and resting it will not help that spasm release. This is why sometimes an athlete can consistently follow the RICE approach, but see little progress over the course of weeks to months.

If this is the case, a method which utilizes a topical herbal wrap can help.  These wraps help to remove built-up toxins and promote energy flow to the applied area, assisting the body's healing capabilities.

You need to accomplish the following for your quad to heal:

For more general information on recovery option, read our Pulled Muscle Treatment article.

Once on the road to recovery, we recommend that you begin lightly using the injured quadriceps muscle. Don’t go overboard, but a little stretching and strengthening will help reduce swelling and also ensures that new muscle forms the correct way.

For specific recovery principles, look over the Quad exercises and stretches section on the next page.

Related Hip Flexor Articles:
>> Quadriceps Tear
>> Common Causes of Quadriceps Tear
>> Severity of Strained Quadriceps
>> Quadriceps Stretches