Sprain is a type of injury in which there is tear or stretch to the ligament. Ligaments are fibrous bands which connet bone to bone and provides stability to the joint. Sprain injuries mostly occur during rapid and sudden movements like fall, twist to ankle or any other trauma. Sprains can be very painful but they are treatable. Sprain can occur in any joint but mostly common in wrist, ankle, and knee joint.
There are 3 stages of sprain depending upon the severity; mild, moderate and severe sprain.
Now let’s see what happen in the sprain. Our body gives a response as a result of ligament tear or stretch, and the response includes increased blood supply to the affected area in order to begin and fasten the healing process. It can lead to swelling, inflammation, redness, pain in the joints so making the movements difficult. Scar tissues are formed in the repairing process of torn ligaments.
Causes:
Sprain occur during rapid and sudden twist or wrenching of a joint, such as the ankle, or wrist. Sprains are caused when there is an injury to the joint to such an extent that it damages the ligament, there can be overstretching or tear of the ligament. Sprain may occur during running, jumping, and walking on uneven places.
Symptoms:
The symptoms of sprains depend upon the various factors like severity of the damage, site of the injury and joint involved. Most common symptoms are;
- Pain or tenderness in the joint
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Difficult movements in the affected joint
- Stiffness in the affected joint
- Reduced mobility of the joint
Diagnosis:
The doctor should perform physical examination and look thouroughly at the affected area, he should also ask for the imaging tests like X-ray, MRI to check the extent of the damage.
Treatment
The treatment for a sprain will depend on the severity of the injury.
The general steps in the management of sprain include rest, eliminate the cause, ice, compressiom, elevation of the affected joint, and analgesics for pain management and followed by rehabilitation. Surgery maybe recommended in severe cases and there is more involvement of the joints. The treatment depends on the various factors and the healthcare providers decide what to do.