Sprain
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A sprain (from the French espraindre - to wring) is an injury which occurs to ligaments caused by a sudden overstretching (for the muscle injury, see strain). The ligament is usually only stretched, but sometimes it can be snapped, slightly torn, or ruptured, all of which are more serious and require longer to heal.
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[edit] Degrees
Various Degrees of Sprain.
Sprains are graded in three degrees.
Although some signs and symptoms can be used to assess the severity of a sprain, the most definitive method is with the use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
A first degree sprain has only minor tearing of the ligament whereas a forth degree sprain is characterized by complete rupture.
[edit] Signs and symptoms
The typical signs and symptoms associated with a sprain are the cardinal signs of inflammation:
[edit] Joints involved
Although any joint can experience a sprain, some of the more common include:
- the ankle. It is the most common, and has been said that sprains such as serious ankle sprains are more painful than actually breaking the bones in that area.[citation needed] See sprained ankle for more details.
- the knee. Perhaps one of the more talked about sprains is that to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the knee. This is a disabling sprain common to athletes, especially basketball, soccer, and judo players. See Anterior cruciate ligament injury.
- the fingers. It has been said that spraining your fingers hurt more than your wrist.
- the wrist. The wrist is a popular sprain area. However, it has been said that it heals quickly.
[edit] Prevention
Sprains can best be prevented by proper use of safety equipment (wrist, ankle guards), warm-ups and cool-downs (including stretching), being aware of your surroundings and maintaining strength and flexibility.
[edit] Treatment
The first modality for a sprain is R.I.C.E.[1]
- Rest: Stop all activities which cause pain to the sprained area.
- Ice: Apply icing to the area several times a day, but never for more than 10-15 minutes at a time. Protect the skin while preventing the swelling.
- Compression: Wrap the sprained area to reduce swelling. Cold water will do also.
- Elevation: Keep the sprained area as close to the level of the heart as is conveniently possible.
The Ice and Compression (Cold compression therapy) will stop the pain and swelling while the injury starts to heal itself. Controlling the swelling and inflammation is critical to the healing process and the icing further restricts fluid leaking into the injured area as well as controlling pain.
