If you think you pulled a muscle..

[Heckman]

Would you apply cold or hot to it? Or one and then the other?

[slide]

Theres only one muscle I pull..but I dont even think its a muscle???

Good question...I remember seeing people ice their legs during track meets, etc...but I recall my dad telling me to put heat on it. Who knows...probably time is the only thing that helps, eh?

Bump it for ya...

-slide

[saturn]

How to care for an injured muscle
The argument has long raged as to whether injured muscles should be fully rested for a while or gently exercised after an injury. This depends really on the type of injury the muscle has experienced.
In the first 2-3 days after injury, muscle injuries should be treated in the same way as other acute soft tissue injuries - protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation. Treatment at this time aims to stop the bleeding in the muscle, minimise swelling, prevent further injury and promote healing.
Although it only takes a few hours for bleeding in the muscle to stop, early activity in the muscle in the next 2-3 days could restart this bleeding and extend the damage to the muscle. Therefore, during the first 2-3 days after a muscle injury there should be no massage, no heat, no ultrasound, no cortisone injections and no active stretching.
After 2-3 days the type and extent of the injury is usually clear. At this point, careful, active treatment may be carried out on first and second degree strains and small haematomas. Muscle training at this time should include gentle isometric, concentric and eccentric work, gentle stretching, dynamic work without loading the muscle, and proprioceptive work. With time, the type of work and its length can be increased to match the abilities of the healing muscle.

[Heckman]

Thanks gents!!

[jaywooly]

What Saturn said.

All I know is Ice helps reduce swelling and heat improves circulation. I think.