What Is Lateral Abdominal Tension?

Lateral abdominal tension can develop when performing an activity for which the muscles in that part of the body were not prepared.

Abdominal lateral tension is also known as abdominal muscle sprain. It is an injury that damages the internal structure of the abdominal muscles.

Sprains are characterized by breaks or tears in a muscle. These breaks or tears are usually very small. However, they can be quite boring.

What are the abdominal muscles? What are they used for?

The muscles of the abdomen are divided into three groups: anterior, lateral and posterior. They largely constitute the abdominal walls, which are covered by the membrane of the peritoneum, closed by the diaphragm at the top; at the bottom, the basin is responsible for delimiting them.

The abdominal muscles are mainly made up of 4 muscle groups:

• External obliques.
• Internal obliques.
• Rectus abdominis muscle.
• Transverse muscle.

Generally, it was always believed that training these muscles was the “miracle exercise” to make the abs stand out. In addition, they have always been used to improve aesthetics. However, these muscle groups have increasingly important functions.

They are essential for the proper functioning of the lumbar spine. They also have a stabilizing role, based on the ability to reduce the pressure on the dorsolumbar vertebral discs. As a result, they generate both static and movement stability, also avoiding pelvic anteversion.

What can cause lateral abdominal tension?

This injury can appear with any sudden movement. Often times you perform movements in incorrect postures which at first aren’t a problem, but in the long run you end up hurting yourself.

You also tend to carry inadequate weights and put in the extra effort because you can, but you don’t think about the consequences. In this sense, lateral abdominal tension can develop when performing an activity for which the muscles in that part of the body were not prepared.

On the other hand, you have to remember that all excess is bad even when exercising. Pushing the body in extreme situations can have serious consequences. In this case, this injury can occur, but much more serious injuries can result if you do not take care of it.

It is also very important to know whether you are doing the exercises or sports activities correctly, as doing them with the wrong technique can also lead to this injury.

Finally, lateral abdominal tension can appear when you suddenly twist your body, either because of a fright or an emergency. The muscles become very tight and are damaged.

Risk factors

We have seen the causes that can trigger this injury. We will now explain that there are a series of factors that favor the development of this annoying injury. Among the main ones, we can mention:

• Do not warm up before exercising : warm up movements before any physical activity are essential to avoid any type of injury. Thanks to them, you prepare the muscles, promote circulation and activate the muscles before making an effort.
• Having weak back muscles : by not having quality and strengthened muscle mass, injuries appear more easily before any movement. Therefore, moderate physical exercise is essential for good health.
• Exercising in cold weather : Cold weather makes both not warming up properly and making sudden movements that cause abdominal lateral tension. In these cases, it is even more essential to exercise gradually.

What are the symptoms of this injury?

Although the following symptoms mentioned may appear if you are suffering from abdominal lateral tension, it does not necessarily mean that you are suffering from this problem. For this reason, you should not assume that you are suffering from abdominal lateral tension, as these symptoms could be the cause of other conditions.

It is very important that you go to the doctor to avoid complications and eliminate doubts. Some common symptoms of this injury are:

• Muscle pain immediately after injury.
• Stiffness and discomfort.
• Difficulty flexing or feeling pain when stretching the muscles in the abdomen.
• Pain when touching the affected area.
• Muscle spasms.
• Swelling or bruising.

How is it treated?

The abdomen is not a muscle that can be put to rest like the quadriceps or the biceps. It is a muscle group which, as we already know, is essential for posture and movement.

You can apply an ice pack to the injured area for about 20 minutes. Do not put ice directly on the skin as it can burn it.

However, do not hesitate to go to the doctor so that he can guide you with a good treatment. In necessary cases, it may indicate the use of analgesic drugs.