You have likely heard of sprains and strains and although we often use the words interchangeably, in fact, they affect different parts of the body and should be treated slightly differently as a result.
Since they are most commonly associated with sports and exercise, athletes are often the most susceptible. While there is no way to completely avoid sprains and strains, one of the best ways to reduce the likelihood of these injuries is to stretch daily, warm up before any sports activity, and do conditioning exercises to build up your muscle strength.
What Are Sprains?
Sprains are a stretch of a tear of a ligament, the tissue that connects two bones. Ligaments support and stabilize the joints and allow movement such as walking and running. The injury usually occurs after a twist, fall, or blow to the body and you may feel a tear or point in your joint when the sprain occurs. Sprains most commonly occur in the ankle and unfortunately, once you have had one, you are likely to have them again in the future.
If the sprain is considered mild, it usually means that the ligament has been stretched but that the connecting joint remains stable. In a moderate sprain, the ligament is partially torn which leads to instability in the joint. During a severe sprain, the ligaments are either separated from the bone or torn completely. All sprains will generally include swelling, bruising, pain, and inflammation; however, the intensity of these symptoms is usually impacted by the severity of the sprain.
What Are Strains?
Strains are a tear, twist, or pull of a muscle or tendons, the cords of tissue that connect your muscles to your bones. Strains occur most frequently in the back muscles or hamstring muscles.
There are two main types of strains, acute strains, and chronic strains. Acute strains are when your muscle tears unexpectedly and suddenly. Meanwhile, chronic strains are caused by the continuous overuse of muscles and tendons through repetitive movements. Both types of strains are usually followed by pain, muscle weakness, swelling, inflammation, cramping, and sometimes muscle spasms.
In a mild strain, the muscle or tendon is only slightly overstretched or torn. In moderate strains, you may experience the loss of some muscle function and in severe strains, the muscle or tendon may be completely ruptured. This can lead to a serious injury that may take many months to heal.
How Do You Treat Sprains and Strains?
This depends greatly on the severity of the injury. For mild sprains and strains, it may simply require rest and light rehab exercises. If the injury is severe, it may need surgery or immobilization while the muscles or ligaments repair themselves.
If you suspect that you or a loved one has experienced a sprain or strain, it is best to start RICE treatment (rest, ice, compression, elevation) right away. This can help minimize the damage, relieve pain and swelling, and speed up the healing process. Wrap an ice pack with a thin towel and cover the injured area for 15 to 20 minutes, three to four times a day. Use an elasticated pressure bandage to prevent or reduce swelling and raise the injured area above the level of the heart.
For more information on sprains and strains, contact All Care Medical today.
