Symptoms
The main symptom of a pulled ab muscle is pain in the area of the muscle strain. Depending on the affected muscle, the pain may be in the upper, middle, lower, or right or left side of your abdomen. Other symptoms include difficulty engaging your core muscles, muscle cramps, muscle spasms, muscle tenderness, muscle weakness, swelling, and inflammation.
Causes
Abdominal muscle strains can be caused by muscle overuse, injury, or poor conditioning. Among athletes, pulled abs are a common sports injury in baseball, hockey, and soccer. Any activity that engages the muscles with excessive force can lead to an abdominal muscle strain, including excessive or very intense exercise, lifting heavy objects, sudden twisting of the torso, vigorous coughing, sneezing, or laughing.
Diagnosis
Your healthcare provider can diagnose a pulled abdominal muscle based on your symptoms and after ruling out other causes of pain. They may order an X-ray if they suspect that you have any broken bones in your rib cage. Abdominal muscle strains are graded according to the severity of the injury.
Treatment
Treatment for a pulled muscle typically involves rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Initial treatment for an abdominal muscle strain includes trying to find a comfortable position that allows the muscle to relax, applying ice to the injury, avoiding exercise and activities that cause pain or spasm in the abdominal muscles, and gradually increasing your normal activities.
How Long Does It Take for a Pulled Ab Muscle to Heal?
A pulled abdominal muscle can take a few weeks to a few months to fully heal, depending on the extent of the injury. A mild abdominal muscle strain can take a week or two weeks to heal, but more severe strains can take six weeks or longer.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
You should be evaluated by a doctor if you have symptoms of a severe abdominal strain, your injury is interfering with daily activities like walking, sitting, or sleeping, you are not sure if you have an abdominal strain or another condition, or your symptoms are not improving after a week.
How to Prevent Reinjury
Once the injury is fully healed, you can avoid another strain by practicing some preventive tips, such as never overexerting yourself while exercising, avoiding exercises with explosive, "jerking" movements, focusing on isometric resistance exercises to strengthen your core muscles with steady and controlled movements, and avoiding hyperextending your back when lifting weights.
Summary
A pulled abdominal muscle can cause pain that ranges from mild discomfort to severe pain that makes everyday activities difficult. It’s often caused by a sports injury, overuse, or poor muscle conditioning. Abdominal muscle strains usually resolve with at-home care. A mild strain should heal in a week or two, but more severe strains can take several months. If the pain is severe, impacts your ability to function, or does not show signs of improving after a week, see your healthcare provider. Physical therapy or surgery may sometimes be needed.
FAQs
Q: What are the symptoms of a pulled abdominal muscle?
A: The main symptom of a pulled ab muscle is pain in the area of the muscle strain, along with difficulty engaging your core muscles, muscle cramps, muscle spasms, muscle tenderness, muscle weakness, swelling, and inflammation.
Q: What causes a pulled abdominal muscle?
A: Abdominal muscle strains can be caused by muscle overuse, injury, or poor conditioning.
Q: How is a pulled abdominal muscle diagnosed?
A: Your healthcare provider can diagnose a pulled abdominal muscle based on your symptoms and after ruling out other causes of pain.
Q: What is the treatment for a pulled abdominal muscle?
A: Treatment for a pulled muscle typically involves rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Initial treatment for an abdominal muscle strain includes trying to find a comfortable position that allows the muscle to relax, applying ice to the injury, avoiding exercise and activities that cause pain or spasm in the abdominal muscles, and gradually increasing your normal activities.
