Unfinished Business, Sprains

What is a sprain? vs. a strain?

-Sprain is a injury of joints caused by being stretched beyond their capacity, or even more. An injury to a ligament, usually torn.

-Ankle or knee sprains are the most commonly seen injuries....and swelling is often quick along with rapid pain.

-Strain is a injury to a muscle or tendon. A strain is resulted in a stretch or a tear in a muscle or tendon.

Causes

-"Twisted ankle" is the most commonly seen sprain, seen in hiking and Basketball, volleyball, football, gymnastics. These injuries usually occur while running or landing. People will fall on an uneven surface (or another players foot), and roll their foot to the inside.

-Thus stretches the ligaments on the ankle. specifically known as the talofibular and calcaenofibular ligaments.

-Sprains are graded due to the extent of the injury, and are classified on a grade system. These grades range from 1-3.

-Sprains can also occur from daily activities such as slip on ice, a fall on your wrist, or jamming a finger. Repetitive activities also cause a sprain or a strain. 

"Preventions", Tips to Avoiding Injury

-Stretch before working out

-Wear proper footwear

-Warm up properly before activities

-Do not run on icy or uneven surfaces

Symptoms

-Pain, swelling, and occasional bruising near the site of the injury.

-Symptoms increase as the injury intensifies.

-More tears can cause an inability to use the affected joint and may lead to joint instability.

-Less serious injuries may only cause pain with movement.

"At first, treatment of both sprains and strains usually involves resting the injured area, icing it, wearing a bandage or device that compresses the area, and medicines. Later treatment might include exercise and physical therapy."

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/sprainsandstrains.html

http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/sprainsstrains/a/sprain.htm