Soft Tissue & Chronic Pain
Muscle Strain
Injury to muscle fibres from a load or stretch beyond what the tissue tolerated.
Also called: Muscle pull, Pulled muscle.
A strain is damage to muscle fibres, ranging from a minor overstretch to a more significant tear. Severity varies widely, and how the tissue behaves with gentle movement over the first several days tells us a good deal about how it is healing.
Common sites include the low back, hamstrings, and calf, though a strain can occur in almost any muscle that is loaded beyond its current capacity.
Why this matters
How a strain is managed in the early days affects how well it recovers. Returning to full activity too quickly, before strength and control are restored, is one of the more common reasons strains recur in the same spot.
A strain that keeps recurring in the same location is worth a closer look, since it often points to a contributing factor elsewhere — a stiff joint, a weak link, or an uneven movement pattern — rather than bad luck.
The brain & nervous-system connection
Where the nervous system fits in
After an injury, the nervous system often keeps a muscle guarded and tight well past the point where the tissue itself has healed. That protective guarding can feel like ongoing injury even when it isn't.
Restoring confident, coordinated movement — not just waiting for soreness to fade — is part of how that protective pattern resolves.
What we look at
We look for patterns, not a single test
- Detailed health history and consultation
- NeuroInfiniti Stress Response Evaluation
- Posture and movement
- Balance and coordination testing
- Eye movement or neurological screening when appropriate
- Grip or motor-function testing when appropriate
- Palpation and spinal function
- Other examination procedures based on the individual
Not every person receives every test. What we perform depends on your history, your age and what the examination shows as we go.
Scope of care
What this does — and doesn't — mean
What we do
- • We evaluate chiropractic and musculoskeletal function.
- • We look at nervous-system-related functional findings that fall within our scope.
- • We assess movement, balance and coordination findings.
- • We measure stress-response patterns with the NeuroInfiniti evaluation.
- • We make individualized chiropractic care recommendations and re-measure over time.
What we don't claim
- • We do not diagnose, treat or cure diseases.
- • Chiropractic care is not a treatment for dementia, Alzheimer's disease or other neurological diseases.
- • Chiropractic care is not a replacement for medical care, testing or medication.
- • No outcome is promised. Results vary from person to person.
Common questions
- Will I be adjusted on the first visit?
- Generally no. The first visit is an evaluation visit. Dr. Geran reviews the findings and makes recommendations at the follow-up visit.
- Do I need imaging before I come in?
- Not usually. If your history or examination suggests imaging is needed, we will say so and help arrange the right next step.
When medical evaluation may be needed
Some symptoms need medical evaluation first. If anything in your history or examination suggests that, we will say so and help point you in the right direction.
Related at Foothills Chiropractic
- Joint Pain & Staying Active — Shoulders, hips, knees, ankles — extremity function matters as much as the spine.
- Achilles Tendinopathy — Pain and stiffness in the Achilles tendon, usually load-related.
- Ankle Pain — Pain or restriction at the ankle, often after an old injury.
- Ankle Sprain — Ligament injury from rolling or twisting the ankle.
Think Foothills Chiropractic might be right for you?
Start Here walks you through what the process looks like, so you can decide whether taking the next step makes sense for you.