What should be the goal of a rehabilitation program following a muscle strain?

The goal of a rehabilitation program following a muscle strain specifically focuses on strengthening the affected muscle as it is crucial for recovery and preventing future injuries. After a muscle strain, the muscle fibers experience damage, and rebuilding their strength is vital for restoring normal function. Strengthening helps to regain the ability to perform activities without pain or restriction and improves overall stability in the muscles surrounding the injured area, which can reduce the risk of re-injury.

While increasing joint flexibility, improving cardiovascular fitness, and enhancing proprioception are important aspects of overall physical health and can play supporting roles in rehabilitation, they are not the primary focus immediately following a muscle strain. Flexibility may be addressed later in the recovery process, cardiovascular fitness is generally maintained through alternative activities that do not stress the injured muscle, and proprioception is improved through specific balance training once strength is sufficiently rebuilt. Thus, strengthening the muscle directly addresses the core issue of recovery from a strain, making it the most appropriate goal for the rehabilitation program.