How long does a pulled muscle take to heal?

You may want a number of days for a pulled muscle, but the published answer begins with a grade.

Healing time depends on the grade

Cleveland Clinic gives different timelines for different grades of muscle strain. If you only have a minor (grade I) muscle strain, it should heal within a few weeks.

Moderate (grade II) muscle strains may take several weeks to months to heal completely.

The most severe strains

A severe (grade III) muscle strain can take four to six months to heal after surgery. Cleveland Clinic adds that you may need to immobilize your muscle with a cast for up to six weeks before starting your rehabilitation program.

Cleveland Clinic also notes that athletes will need to sit out the season for a strain that serious.

How to use these timelines

The grade is the key piece of information, so ask a healthcare provider which grade your strain is. A reader in Elmwood Park who knows the grade can set a realistic window before going back to running, work or lifting.

For the calf in particular, the Cleveland Clinic page on a torn calf muscle is worth reading. The wider guide to sprains and related injuries is a helpful comparison.

What to try before you resume

Rehabilitation is part of the timeline, not an extra. To see what that work involves, read the Cleveland Clinic page on physical therapy and a page on physiotherapy.

A closing note on finishing the job

A finished recovery is not the day the pain eases. Treat a quick return to full effort with caution, and bring any new pain back to your provider.