What are Sprains and Strains?
First, let’s try to understand the difference between these two. Both sprains and strains are rapid overstretching, but if the former relates to ligaments, the latter refers to muscles and tendons.
The body parts most commonly affected by sprains and strains are the ankles. The causes for that may be sudden sports movements, bumps in the terrain, or footwear which does not fit your foot or was not designed for your usage scenario.
Grade I injuries have only a few fiber tears and minor pain and swelling, while Grade III injuries involve complete ruptures and a noticeable loss of function.
How Do You Know You Have Sprains or Strains
Symptoms include swelling, stiffness, pain, and reduced mobility of the affected joint, ligament, tendon, or muscle. Treating these conditions as soon as possible is essential to decrease pain and swelling.
Injuries like sprains and strains can manifest themselves as acute or chronic pain. Their causes may be falls, twists, or overuse. Overuse injuries may develop over weeks or months and tend to worsen if not managed properly.
It is important to see your physician right away if you feel intense pain, there is difficulty bearing weight on the joint, if swelling and/or bruising is severe, or if there’s an inability to move the affected body part.
How Will Your Treatment Start
By understanding the signs, symptoms, and providing appropriate care, individuals can fully recover with the help of our chiropractor or physical therapist.
The treatment will start with evaluating your current state and the injured area, making some range of motion tests, if required. Then our physiotherapist will talk to you to find out details about your condition. This information will allow us to make a conclusion and develop a recovery plan. It will be individual, tailored to your needs, and will consider your preferences.
Our physiotherapist may recommend a three-step treatment plan:
- Pain relief (first aid for either sprain or strain should involve stopping any physical activity, applying ice and a compressing bandage, and elevating the area);
- Healing of the injury (for a sprain, this can include joint mobilization techniques, therapeutic exercises, and heat/ice; for a strain – soft tissue mobilization, therapeutic exercises, and heat/ice);
- Prevention (such as strength training and understanding proper loading of the body parts).
Medication, manual therapy, and therapeutic exercises are helpful for recovery.
The statistics show that a person, who had a sprain or strain once, is most likely to have it again. That is why educating patients on preventing injury is also paramount in a physical therapy program.
Healing time is contingent on various elements, including the severity of the injury, the individual’s age, and if any treatments were administered. Immobility time will also differ depending on the tissue type involved. Nevertheless, you should know that a full recovery is possible with some patience and commitment.
Contact Us
Contact us for a free consultation. We have the knowledge and experience to diagnose and treat sprains and strains. Talk to our physiotherapist to find out how we can help you. Call, email us, or leave a message via an online form. We will be more than glad to take a journey with you back to your painless life.
