How long does it usually take a stretched muscle to recover?

It all depends on it's post exercise stretch or pre excercise stretch.. Both takes different time to recover.. For pre exercise stretches, it takes slightly longer time of about 3-4 days if u are exercising regularly but not doing of stretching.. The reason is that, we tend to expose those muscles hidden our frequently or most used muscles, and so it's actually quite raw and thus when it's over-stretched, it takes time to recover.. However when it's post exercises stretches, it's not that bad, just 1-2 days will be enough to recover, and the most painful time is the day before full recovery.. hehe ^_^ That happens due to our muscles are already warmed up, and thus stretching is just to ease the tension while exercising ^_^

I tend to over-stretch or over-exert my calf muscles after long hours of working or standing, resulting in terrible leg cramps. Sometimes I also strained my neck muscles to an extent that I can't turn my head! When it happens like this, how I wish I could stay in bed for a week! Anyway with proper resting and massage, the muscles take 2 weeks to recover. And I must be careful not to overstretch them again.

Everyone has given you good advise. So I will give you my experiance. I am very active and play a lot of softball and football. Usually as soon as I strain a muscle I get ice on it just as soon as I can. With in several hours and continuing for one to three days, depending on the pain, swelling and discoloration. I usually also take aspirin that has Ibprofin. Once the swelling and pain are reduced, and the discoloration has set in I start to use wet heat. I put a wet towel in the microwave for 10 to 15 sec., place it over the effected area for about 10 min wraped in a dry towel, after which I let everything get back to normal and then repeat the process. Good timing is when TV commericals come on I heat the towel and apply it and continue that for several hours in the evening. For the ice, I usually will freeze a styrophone cup full of water, rub the ice on the effected area until it is numb, wrap it with a dry towel and wait for it to return to normal and then repeat the process. As the pain and discoloration subside, I begin slow stretching of the area, and as long as it is pain free I slowly increase the amount of work I place on the area. Usually after about a week I can return to playing, but will wrap and tape the area to keep from putting too much strain on it. Usually after 2 weeks I am back at 100%. That is usually, last year I tore the legiment that attaches one of the hamstring muscles at the outside edge of my left knee. I finally went to the sports doctor, lucky for me it was the same legiment that is used in ACL repairs and did not need surgery, the other muscles and legiments take up the extra duties and it does not have anything to do with the stability of the knee. If you rest it, ice it, stretch it and the pain persists, get an MRI and see a sports medicine doctor. I sometimes force the issues, and have had surgery on both shoulders. I hope this has helped. Let us know how it goes. Terry