Sprains and Strains

Sprains are extremely common and occur when a ligament (tissue that connects bone to bone) or tendon (tissue that connects muscle to bone) in one of your limbs is torn. Although sprains can be caused by simple actions such as twisting your ankle, this can happen during a sporting event, when you are moving on an uneven surface, or if you fall awkwardly and your ankle or wrist twists. They can also occur due to factors such as overextension when playing tennis or pivoting incorrectly, causing your knee to twist.

Sprains are more common if you are fatigued, as this can cause you to become unbalanced and your muscles will provide less support for your bones when you are exhausted. You must also be wary when on slippery or dangerous surfaces caused by environmental conditions such as the weather. If you wear footwear that is not suitable for the activity that you are performing or does not fit you properly, this can also increase your susceptibility to sprains, strains, and fractures.

Strains are caused by the ligament or tendon in your limb being pulled from the bone by an exterior force and are most often caused by sporting activities. Most incidents of strains occur from slipping or falling on an uneven surface or tripping, while running or throwing, and also from unsafe lifting practices. These are most likely to occur at work or during manual labor activities.

To distinguish between symptoms of a strain and a sprain, we have compiled a list of the differing symptoms for each condition. If you have a sprain, the affected limb will be incredibly painful and you will find that you have a loss of motion in the affected area. Your may notice pain, swelling, or bruising of your limb and you may struggle to put pressure on the limb. However, symptoms of a strain can show much more gradually and may start to be seen in aching pain around the site of the strain, bruising and muscle spasms and cramps in the area of the strain. You may also find that your muscles become weak and that you start to have a limited amount of usage in the injured area. However, while you may realize that you have sustained a sprain through a popping feeling when the incident occurs, there is no immediate symptom to alert you to the presence of a strain.

If you believe that you have a strain or a sprain, you should seek medical attention immediately as doctors will be able to check your individual injury, ascertain your condition, and ensure that there are no complications. Your GP may then be able to refer you to treatment suited to your strain or sprain, such as medicine to relieve the immediate pain.

After the injury, you should consider resting for a period of time, especially if you play sports. This will ensure that you do not exacerbate the injury in question to make sure that it heals as quickly as possible and does not worsen. You should also consider other short-term treatments such as the application of ice to reduce swelling and compression to dull the pain that you experience. Elevating the area above your chest can also help to reduce pain, especially when resting.

The specialists at Icon Medical will be able to find the best alternative treatment for you and your strain and sprain by considering your personal condition to construct an individualized treatment plan. Our variety of physical treatment methods can help to relieve pain, increase muscle function and reduce your recovery time through promoting natural bodily healing, which can help you to cope with your acute strain or sprain as best as possible.

Strains and sprains are common in workplace and sporting accidents due to unsafe lifting and problems with equipment and technique. However, at Icon Medical, our physical treatments such as massage and physical therapy can help to increase the movement of your muscles and relieve tension in your soft tissues.

This will also ensure that you will be able to be pain-free through physical therapies’ numbing sensation. Whether alternative therapies have been recommended by a doctor, or you have decided to self-refer, contact Icon Medical in the event of a strain or sprain in order to find the right treatment path for you.