Muscle and tendon strains and ligament sprains send millions of people to the doctor each year. About 2 million people alone sprain their ankle. But there are also wrist sprains, back strains, ACL tears, and any number of other sprains and strains.
Sprains and strains cause pain and loss of range of motion. They force employees to miss work and athletes to take time off from their sport.
Many sprains and strains heal on their own, with rest. But some need surgery or physical therapy to help rehab and prevent future injuries.
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The words sprain and strain sound alike, but they're two different things.
The most common types of sprains are ankle sprains, knee sprains, and wrist sprains. You can sprain other areas, but those joints tend to be the most prone to sprains.
Doctors grade sprains based on how bad the injury is. There are three grades:
Strains are like sprains in that they range from mild to severe. You can overstretch a muscle or tendon and heal with ice and rest. Or you can partially or completely tear a tendon and maybe need surgery.
Causes and risk factors of sprains and strains may include:
These types of injuries are common in athletes. But they can happen when any of us overuses or puts too much stress on our joints and muscles.
Sprained ligaments and strained muscles become inflamed as your body responds to the injury. This can cause spasms.
Regular exercise can reduce your risk of sprains and strains, as can warming up the body before you exercise. The research on stretching before exercise isn't conclusive, but many health experts recommend it.
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Sprains and strains can happen almost anywhere in your body, including your lower back.
Both can cause a lot of pain.
Sprains can happen when a joint twists in a weird position or bends too far. For example, an ankle sprain occurs because your ankle has twisted, and the ligaments attached around that joint stretch too much.
Symptoms of a sprain include:
If your joint looks out of place or your symptoms don't go away in a few days, you should see a doctor.
Symptoms of a strain may include:
A mild muscle strain may cause some pain and weakness.
Severe muscle strains involve much (or even complete) tearing. People often hear the muscle "pop" when the injury happens. This may result in extreme pain and not being able to use that muscle.
A severe muscle strain injury is an emergency. You should see a doctor right away.
To diagnose a sprain or strain, your doctor will do an exam and ask how it happened. During the exam, your doctor will touch the injured area, check for swelling, and test your range of motion.
Your doctor will also take a medical history to see if you've had the same injury before and what medicines you're taking.
You may need tests to confirm a sprain or strain diagnosis:
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Severe sprains and strains need medical attention right away. But for less severe ones, you may first try home care. As a rule, this means RICE:
Unless your doctor has told you not to, you can also take over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). This includes ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin.
While a sprain heals, your doctor will probably tell you to:
If your sprain is in your knee or ankle, you may need to use crutches for a short time. It can take three to four weeks for a moderate sprain to heal.
For severe sprains, you may need:
Treatment options for strains vary by how severe the injury is.
Doctors can treat mild strains much like they treat sprains:
Mild strains can take three to six weeks to heal (meaning you don't feel pain or muscle weakness any more).
Severe strains may require surgery if the muscle is too damaged to heal properly on its own.
Your doctor may also refer you to a physical therapist to slowly increase the strength in that muscle to avoid further injury.
To request an appointment or for more information, please call 1-866-987-6784 or submit a form online.
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