What causes abdominal muscle strain

Abdominal muscle strain is usually caused by excessive muscle stretching, sudden twisting, or external impact, mainly due to incorrect exercise posture, insufficient warm-up, muscle fatigue, external impact, weak abdominal muscle strength, and other factors.

1. Incorrect exercise posture

During abdominal training such as sit ups and abdominal rolls, improper movements may lead to uneven muscle stress. Compensatory force from the waist or excessive forward leaning of the neck can increase the burden on the rectus abdominis muscle, and repeated incorrect movements can easily cause muscle fiber micro damage. During exercise, keep your chin slightly retracted and use abdominal strength to slowly control the amplitude of your movements.

2. Insufficient warm-up

When high-intensity training is directly applied without sufficient warm-up, muscle elasticity and blood circulation are poor. Sudden explosive movements such as throwing or jumping may cause tearing of the oblique muscle in a cold state. It is recommended to perform dynamic stretching for ten minutes before exercise, such as cat style stretching or lateral rotation to activate the core muscle group.

3. Muscle fatigue

Continuous multi group weight-bearing training can keep the transverse abdominal muscles in a state of sustained tension. When lactate accumulation in muscles exceeds metabolic capacity, protective contraction function decreases, and carrying heavy objects or coughing may cause strains. Sufficient rest time should be arranged after each training group, and attention should be paid to supplementing electrolytes.

4. External force impact

When direct external forces such as traffic accidents and sports collisions act on the abdomen, it may cause blunt injury to the external oblique muscle. This type of situation is often accompanied by subcutaneous bleeding and deep breathing pain, and needs to be distinguished from visceral injury. It is recommended to wear professional protective gear to reduce impact during contact sports.

5. Weak abdominal muscle strength

Long term lack of exercise may result in insufficient rectus abdominis muscle strength, which may cause strain when lifting heavy objects due to compensatory excessive force. People with poor core stability may also experience muscle spasms when sneezing or laughing. It is recommended to gradually enhance muscle endurance starting from static training such as plank support. After abdominal muscle strain occurs, activity should be stopped immediately. In the initial stage, ice compress can be used to relieve swelling, and after 48 hours, it can be switched to hot compress to promote blood circulation. During the recovery period, avoid twisting the torso and use pillows under the knees to reduce abdominal muscle tension during sleep. Daily abdominal breathing training should be strengthened, and low impact exercises such as swimming should be chosen to help with muscle repair. If there is persistent severe pain or subcutaneous congestion spreading, complications such as hernia should be promptly ruled out.