Phase 1: Rest and Passive Recovery Week 1 * Rest the pulled muscle and avoid movements that cause pain * Schedule an appointment with a physiotherapist for massage, electric stimulation, and ultrasound, which can speed up the rate of recovery * Apply ice to the injured muscle 3-4 times per day * Don’t apply heat directly to the injured area. Also, avoid hot tubs or saunas during this phase * Wear a compression sleeve or bandage over the area to increase blood flow Phase 2: Active Recovery Weeks 2-3 * Continue to ice once or twice per day * Stretch your injured muscle gently 2-3 times per day. Stretch to the point of pain, but don’t stretch past this point. If you overstretch your muscle you can increase inflammation * Incorporate isometric into your rehab. Isometric exercises are when you hold a position without changing your muscle length. An example is holding a squat position or a glute bridge Phase 3: Dynamic mobility and Eccentric Exercises Weeks 4-8 * Add dynamic stretches into your rehab program. Dynamic stretching is when you rapidly stretch a muscle. Two examples are leg swings or arm swings * Add eccentric exercises to your rehab. Eccentric exercises are when you lengthen your muscles and resist a weight. An example is doing the lowering portion of single-legged squats for four seconds and then standing up quickly * Phase 4: Regaining Full Function Weeks 8+ * Add your regular exercises into your workout or fitness program one by one when you can do them pain-free * The last exercises you’ll add to your program are those that involve jumping. Single leg exercises are generally more intense than double leg exercises. The same is true for upper body exercises. Single-armed movements like swinging a tennis racket are more intense than double-armed movements like push-ups * Don’t do anything that hurts. It’s better to slow your rehab program than risk reinjury