An oblique injury, also called side strain, can feel like sharp pain in the rib cage the first time the oblique muscle gets injured. Over time, you may experience a sense of tightness and pressure on the lower ribs or the front side of the abdomen. The pain gets aggravated when you twist your body from a sitting position or when rising from a bed.
Oblique injury refers to the injury to any of the oblique muscles, internal oblique or external oblique, which are located on the outer surface of the sides of the abdomen.
- The external oblique lies superficially (closer to the skin) with the internal oblique lying underneath.
- These muscles run from the lower ribs to the pelvis and help you twist your body.
- They help in other movements, such as sideways and forward bending, breathing movements, and increase the pressure inside the abdomen for purposes, such as passing stools or during childbirth.
What causes an oblique injury?
Sports activities that involve planting the feet and twisting with maximum effort can injure the oblique muscle.
Examples of such sports include:
- Ice hockey
- Soccer
- Wrestling
- Golf
- Tennis
- Basketball
- Soccer
How is an oblique injury diagnosed?
Your doctor will ask about the symptoms and how the injury occurred. They will perform a physical examination, wherein they will likely ask you to do a sit-up or flex your trunk against resistance.
If they suspect that you have torn your oblique, they may order X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging scans. They may order bone scans or other tests to rule out other possible causes of the pain.
How is an oblique injury treated?
Mild oblique injuries, such as oblique strains, resolve in one to two weeks with typical treatment that involves:
- Home remedies
- Resting is an important part of treatment in the initial 7 to 10 days.
- Applying ice on the affected area for 15 to 20 minutes about three to four times a day helps alleviate the pain and inflammation.
- Your doctor may advise you a compress or wrap if you have groin swelling.
- Medications
- Over-the-counter pain medications, such as acetaminophen, naproxen, or ibuprofen, can help resolve the inflammation and help you get rid of the pain in case ice packs do not help.
- If your symptoms do not improve with the above pain medications, your doctor may suggest a cortisone injection, which is a steroid medicine.
- Physical therapy
- Two weeks after your injury, your doctor may advise you to do physical therapy exercises or refer you to a physical therapist for the same.
- These exercises are aimed at improving strength and flexibility in your abdominal and inner thigh muscles.
- Surgery
- Depending on the severity and location of the oblique injury, the doctor may immobilize the oblique muscle into a cast for two to four weeks or recommend surgery to repair the torn muscle.
- Most athletes can resume sports 6 to 12 weeks after surgery.
- More than 90 percent of patients are successfully treated for oblique injuries either with medical or surgical treatments and can resume sports. Sometimes, returning to sports activities can injure or tear the oblique muscle again, necessitating a repeat surgery.
How to prevent oblique injuries
There is no single thing that can guarantee the prevention of oblique injuries if you are an athlete involved in sports activities that require frequent rotation and twisting of your body.
However, you can minimize your risk by taking a few precautions that include:
- Avoid improper twisting or improper bending of the trunk to prevent any muscle strain on the oblique muscles. Learn the right technique.
- Do not forget to perform warm-up or cool-down exercises that target all your muscles, including oblique muscles.
- Perform exercises that also target improving muscle flexibility and strength to prevent strains from occurring.
SLIDESHOW
Pictures of the 7 Riskiest Workout Moves, and How to Improve Them See SlideshowReferences
Image Source: iStock Images
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Sports Hernia (Athletic Pubalgia). https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/sports-hernia-athletic-pubalgia/
Connell DA, Jhamb A, James T. Side strain: a tear of internal oblique musculature. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2003 Dec;181(6):1511-7. doi: 10.2214/ajr.181.6.1811511.
Shian B, Larson ST. Abdominal wall pain: clinical evaluation, differential diagnosis, and treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2018 Oct 1;98(7):429-36. https://www.aafp.org/afp/2018/1001/p429.html
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Sports Hernia (Athletic Pubalgia). https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/sports-hernia-athletic-pubalgia/
Connell DA, Jhamb A, James T. Side strain: a tear of internal oblique musculature. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2003 Dec;181(6):1511-7. doi: 10.2214/ajr.181.6.1811511.
Shian B, Larson ST. Abdominal wall pain: clinical evaluation, differential diagnosis, and treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2018 Oct 1;98(7):429-36. https://www.aafp.org/afp/2018/1001/p429.html
Top What Does an Oblique Injury Feel Like Related Articles
Abdomen Picture
The abdomen (commonly called the belly) is the body space between the thorax (chest) and pelvis. See a picture of the Abdomen and learn more about the health topic.
Healthy Aging: Causes of Muscle Weakness
From aging to illness, many things can cause your muscles to get weaker. Learn about the causes and what you can do to make it better.
How Long Does It Take for a Muscle Strain to Heal?
A muscle strain occurs when muscle fibers are overstretched and tear. Learn more about muscle strains, how muscle strains happen, muscle strain symptoms, muscle strain diagnosis, and muscle strain treatment options. Receive information on how a sprain and strain differ.
Is a Muscle Strain the Same as a Muscle Tear?
What is the difference between a muscle strain and a muscle tear?
Muscle Cramps
Muscle cramps are involuntarily and forcibly contracted muscles that do not relax. Extremely common, any muscles that have voluntary control, including some organs, are subject to cramps. Since there is such variety in the types of muscle cramps that can occur, many causes and preventative medications are known. Stretching is the most common way to stop or prevent most muscle cramps.
Muscle Cramps (Charley Horse) and Muscle Spasms
What are the differences between muscle spasms and cramps? Learn about the causes of muscle spasms and cramps (charley horse) in the calf, leg, and more.
Muscle Cramps: Foods That Help and Prevent Cramping
One way to prevent muscle cramps is to get enough of these nutrients: potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium. They’re called electrolytes, and you can find them in these foods.
Muscle Pain
Muscle pain (myalgia, myofascial pain syndrome) is pain in the body's soft tissues due to injury or strain. Symptoms include muscle pain with tender points and fatigue. Treatment usually involves physical therapy, massage therapy, or trigger point injection.
Muscle Spasms
Muscle spasms are involuntary muscle contractions that come on suddenly and are usually quite painful. Dehydration, doing strenuous exercise in a hot environment, prolonged muscle use, and certain diseases of the nervous system may cause muscle spasms. Gently stretching the muscle usually resolves a muscle spasm.
Sprains and Strains
An injury to a ligament is called a sprain, and an injury to muscle or tendon is called a strain. Sprains and strains may be caused by repetitive movements or a single stressful incident. Symptoms and signs include pain and swelling. Though treatment depends upon the extent and location of the injury, rest, ice, compression, and elevation are key elements of treatment.