How to heal a torn quad?

[OakLeaf]

I'm not a doctor either ... but I would NOT recommend NSAIDs beyond what you need for pain. They will slow your healing. http://www.caringmedical.com/sports_injury/nsaids.asp

Same with ice, beyond the first 48-72 hours. You don't want to impede circulation if you can help it, and you don't want to inhibit too much inflammation, since inflammation is inextricably bound up with healing. A BRIEF daily ice bath maybe ... one of the theories behind ice baths for athletic recovery is that AFTER the ice bath, when the blood vessels that were constricted by the ice then release, it creates greater blood flow to the muscles.

Beyond that ... gentle movement to keep the lymph circulating and prevent soft tissues from contracting ... I would THINK you could push the ROM to where you feel a pull, but not to pain ... Another thing you could do is gentle self-massage - NOT digging into the muscle at all, but just using light touch to stimulate blood and lymph circulation and awareness.

Here is a video on kinesio taping a quad strain. (I just ordered a couple of rolls of tape from that site myself, since the brand my doctor uses was sensitizing my skin, and they shipped SUPER fast. Like, it got here in three days right before Christmas, not that a company like that probably has much of a holiday rush. )

but I am not a doctor.