How should lumbar muscle strain be treated?

Written by Guan Yu Hua
Orthopedic Surgery
Updated on January 05, 2025
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Lumbar muscle strain is a particularly common disease, such as strenuous exercise or long periods of heavy physical labor. For instance, farmers bending over, farming, hoeing, cutting grass, fertilizing, and spraying pesticides are all activities closely related to the movement of the lumbar muscles. The human body's muscles engage in 80% of activities, and their involvement in lumbar muscle strain is very common. It mainly manifests as swinging hammers, digging tree pits, bending over to lift heavy objects, and carrying heavy weights. Subsequently, pain and discomfort in the lumbar region occur. The next morning, upon waking, the symptoms may become more apparent. The lumbar area may feel stiff, akin to a plank, making getting out of bed difficult. Through physical examination and radiographic imaging, such as CT scans of the lumbar spine, the condition can generally be identified and confirmed. In such cases, strict bed rest is required, generally for at least ten days, during which symptoms gradually alleviate. During this period, treatments such as traction, physiotherapy, massage, and heating can help alleviate the symptoms. If necessary, blood-activating and pain-relieving medications may be taken. The condition is treatable, but it is advisable to avoid prolonged sitting in the future. When engaging in heavy labor, it is better to restrict the lumbar region by wearing a lumbar belt or engaging in lighter physical activities that do not overly exert the lumbar area. Regular care for the lumbar region is essential. Once there is damage to the lumbar region, recurrent episodes can affect the quality of normal life and work.

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Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
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How to care for a strained lumbar muscle

For patients with lumbar muscle strain, the following care measures should be taken: 1. Regularly wear a waist support to protect the lumbar spine. It is best to sleep on a hard bed, avoid excessive weight-bearing walking, avoid long periods of sitting or standing, and avoid excessively bending over to lift heavy objects. These measures can effectively alleviate the clinical symptoms of lumbar muscle strain. 2. Avoid cold and damp environments. Actively apply local heat treatments, using a salt bag or hot water bag for heat application twice a day, each time for more than half an hour for more noticeable effects. 3. Combine with some strength methods, such as acupuncture, moxibustion, and cupping, which are more beneficial for improving the patient's clinical symptoms. 4. Actively apply topical ointments that promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis; gradual recovery can be expected.

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Written by Zhang Ying Peng
Orthopedics
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How to exercise with lumbar muscle strain?

The best exercise method for lumbar muscle strain is to perform functional exercises on the bed, such as the "Little Swallow" exercise. Lie prone on the bed, lifting limbs and head off the bed, supporting your body with only the abdomen, hold for two seconds each time, and perform this exercise more than 20 times a day. The second method is the "Five-Point Support," where you lie on your back on the bed, use your head and limbs to prop up your body, and then leave your waist suspended in the air, holding each position for two seconds, also repeating this 20 times daily.

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Written by Li Jin
Orthopedics
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Can lumbar muscle strain be cured completely?

Patients with lumbar muscle strain can generally improve their symptoms or even recover after rest or treatment. The main causes of lumbar muscle strain include long-term heavy physical activities involving the waist, poor posture, chronic strain, trauma, etc., which can cause symptoms such as back pain and limited mobility. These symptoms lessen after rest but can worsen after resuming strenuous activities. For the treatment of lumbar muscle strain, it is important first to rest and develop correct habits of using the waist to avoid long-term heavy physical activities involving this area. Treatment may include the symptomatic use of anti-inflammatory pain medications, combined with heat application, physical therapy, massage, or block therapy. These methods can play a positive role in symptom improvement and recovery. (Specific medications should be used under the guidance of a physician.)

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Written by Li Jin
Orthopedics
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How should lumbar muscle strain be treated?

Patients with lumbar muscle strain mainly suffer from damage to the lumbar muscles due to long-term involvement in heavy physical activity, poor posture, and chronic strain, resulting in symptoms of pain and limited mobility in the lumbar region. If treatment is needed for lumbar muscle strain, it is first important to rest and develop correct habits for using the lumbar region, avoiding prolonged heavy physical activity. Treatment can also include the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs in combination with hot compresses, physical therapy, massage, or local blockades. These methods can play a positive role in improving the symptoms of lumbar muscle strain and promoting recovery. Generally speaking, with rest combined with medication and other methods, symptoms can be effectively improved in about two to three weeks (the use of medication should be under the guidance of a physician).

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Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
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Is lumbar muscle strain serious?

For severe lumbar muscle strain, in cases where the strain is not very severe, it usually manifests as the patient primarily experiencing symptoms of soreness and pain in the lower back. For such patients, full recovery is still possible with active cooperation in treatment. First, it is necessary to reduce local irritation by strictly resting and protecting the affected area, which is the best condition for patient recovery. It is important to avoid prolonged sitting or standing, excessive bending or lifting heavy objects. It is advisable to wear a lumbar support belt to protect the lower back and actively apply local treatments such as heat application, massage, acupuncture, and cupping. Additionally, topical application of ointments that invigorate the blood and dispel stasis can also be used. Most patients will gradually recover through these active treatment methods.