How to diagnose lumbar muscle strain

Written by Li Jin
Orthopedics
Updated on February 04, 2025
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For the diagnosis of lumbar muscle strain, it is mainly based on symptoms, physical examination, or combined with imaging studies. The typical symptoms of lumbar muscle strain include soreness or swelling pain in the lower back, which worsens with exertion and lessens with rest. Patients are also unable to persist in activities that involve bending over. During a physical examination, tender points in the lower back may be found, or imaging studies can be used to rule out other lumbar spine conditions. Under these circumstances, a diagnosis of lumbar muscle strain can be made. Patients with lumbar muscle strain should pay attention to rest, and can use anti-inflammatory pain medications, combined with heat therapy, physiotherapy, massage, and blocking methods for treatment, which generally can effectively improve symptoms and promote recovery. (Specific medication use should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Guan Yu Hua
Orthopedic Surgery
1min 18sec home-news-image

Can you exercise with lumbar muscle strain?

Lumbar muscle strain primarily arises from repetitive stretching of the back muscles due to work-related activities or intense physical exercise. This leads to a range of symptoms, such as stiffness in the lower back upon waking in the morning, reluctance to move, and symptomatic relief after some activity. It is advised to gently exercise the lower back to effectively alleviate symptoms, avoid strenuous exercise or prolonged bending and heavy physical labor. It's best to strictly rest on a firm mattress, perform warm-up activities for the lower back, and undergo appropriate physical therapy and massage. Consuming blood-activating and pain-relieving medications can also help. Typically, symptoms will gradually ease over 7-10 days. Although light activity for lumbar muscle strain is acceptable, engaging in exercise is not recommended. Rest is necessary, and a general rest period of about half a month will gradually reduce symptoms. Recurrences are common, so it is important to regularly care for your lower back by avoiding activities such as bending to lift heavy objects, carrying heavy loads, etc., as these can easily lead to repetitive strain injuries of the back muscles.

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Written by Guan Jing Tao
Orthopedics
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How to self-repair lumbar muscle strain

Lumbar muscle strain, especially repeated lumbar and back sprains, as well as prolonged sitting, standing, exposure to cold, and chill, can all cause lumbar muscle strain. Therefore, it is first necessary to avoid excessive bending and lifting activities, as well as exposure to cold and chill, particularly abnormal bending and lifting activities. Normally, one should squat first, then lift heavier objects and hold them close to the abdomen, which is a more correct posture for lifting things. After injuring the lumbar muscles, it is advisable to persist with local physical therapy daily, such as heat therapy, acupuncture, and physiotherapy, while avoiding cold, chill, prolonged sitting, and standing. One can also take some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs orally. During the non-acute phase, when there is no obvious pain in the lumbar muscles, one can try exercises like planking, proper jogging, and pull-ups to enhance the strength of the back and lumbar muscles, which can promote the recovery of tissue damage from lumbar muscle strain and increase its strength.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
1min 27sec home-news-image

How many days will it take for a lumbar muscle strain to heal by itself?

Lumbar muscle strain is a chronic condition, not an acute onset. It is caused by fatigue, overexertion, trauma, and vigorous exercise, leading to prolonged and repeated strain, pulling, rupture, and damage of the lumbar muscles, resulting in scar formation and lumbar muscle strain. Therefore, this disease is essentially a chronic ailment, and its healing mainly relies on rest to promote recovery. If muscle damage occurs in the lumbar region and one does not rest, continuing to work and bear loads as usual, the muscles will not heal and will eventually become scarred. Thus, the duration for the healing of lumbar muscle strain depends not on the number of days, but whether adequate and proper rest has been taken. Additionally, applying medications that invigorate blood circulation and disperse blood stasis can assist in recovery. Generally, if care is taken to rest adequately, avoid carrying heavy loads, prevent fatigue, and avoid vigorous exercise, while also using oral medications or plasters that invigorate blood and dispel stasis, healing can gradually occur. However, the condition may recur under fatigue and strain in the future, as it is a chronic disease and complete healing is very difficult to achieve. (Note: This answer is for reference only. Medication should be administered under the guidance of a professional physician, and medications should not be used blindly.)

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Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
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Symptoms of lumbar muscle strain and fasciitis

First, it is a type of chronic pain without obvious causes, mainly characterized by soreness and swelling. The pain usually alleviates after rest but reappears if staying in one position for too long. Therefore, patients with myofascial inflammation caused by lumbar strain often feel restless. Second, there is usually a trigger point, typically located near or within a muscle, or at the junction between muscle and nerve. Pressing on the trigger point often results in radiating pain around it. Furthermore, the pain usually does not worsen but instead lessens over time, which is a key characteristic of myofascial inflammation. Third, the sacrospinalis muscle may become hardened or even spasm on one or both sides. Fourth, there is compensatory abnormal curvature of the spine, mainly presenting as protrusion or lateral curvature of the spine. Thus, the symptoms of myofascial inflammation from lumbar muscle strain usually include pain, specific pain points, surrounding muscle hardening, spasm, and compensatory spinal deformity.

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Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
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How long do you need to rest for a lumbar muscle strain?

Usually, patients with lumbar muscle strain need to actively rest and protect themselves for about seven to ten days to recover. However, during this period, they must actively cooperate with the treatment. Otherwise, if they continue to perform heavy physical labor, or are exposed to cold, the recovery time is unpredictable and may be prolonged. For such patients, local treatments such as hot compresses, massages, light therapy, and acupuncture can be used to promote the absorption of local creatine kinase. Additionally, they can use topical ointments that invigorate the blood and remove stasis, and take oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and blood-activating drugs. (Specific medications should be used under the guidance of a physician.)