Sprains and Strains
Sprains
A sprain is an injury to the tough, elastic like ligaments that attach muscles to the bones. They can either be torn or, in extreme cases, snapped.
Sprains are most common in ankles, knees, the arches of the feet - all places subject to a lot of flexing and twisting.
Sprained ligaments will swell rapidly and can be extremely painful - more painful, in some cases, than a break. Generally speaking, the greater the pain, the more severe the injury.
Strains
A strain is an injury to a muscle rather than a ligament, in which the muscle fibres tear as a result of overstretching. More commonly referred to as a pulled muscle, the symptoms of a typical strain include localized pain, stiffness, inflammation, and bruising around the muscle in question.
Strains can happen to anyone and are certainly not restricted to athletes; people have strained muscles pulling on trousers!
Nevertheless, people who play sports are more at risk of developing a strain, especially if they fail to warm up properly before over exerting themselves.
If you're unfortunate enough to find yourself in a car crash, you may suffer a combined strain and sprain in the form of whiplash, the seriousness of which should never be underestimated no matter how insignificant the collision appears to be.
What to do
- Protect the injured limb from further injury by resting the joint and making sure the injured person doe not put weight on it.
- Use a cold pack, ice or even a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a tea towel to reduce swelling immediately after the injury happens.
- Strap the area to support the injured tissue with a compression bandage or neoprene sports support.
- Lift the injured limb whenever possible to prevent fluid pooling around the injury and causing further swelling.
Seek medical assistance if:
- you heard a popping sound when the joint was injured, or it can't be moved at all.
- a fever develops and the area becomes red and hot as the casualty may have an infection.
- you are at all unsure as to the extend or type of injury.
Top Tip
Sprains can be caused by unsuitable footwear. If you’re going to be walking on rough or uneven ground, choose boots or shoes that offer plenty of support for the ankles and feet.
PLEASE NOTE:
The information on this website is provided as a reference guide only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice from your pharmacist, doctor or NHS Direct. Always seek medical advice if you are unsure of the treatment required or dial 999 in an emergency.
