Sprains and strains are both stretched or torn tissue — the difference is which tissue.
| Sprain | Strain | |
|---|---|---|
| What is hurt | a ligament — tissue that joins bone to bone at a joint | a muscle or a tendon — tissue that joins muscle to bone |
| Typical causes | a fall, a twist, or a blow | twisting or pulling the tissue — suddenly, or building up over time; many happen in sports |
| Common places | ankles and wrists | the back and the hamstrings |
| Symptoms | pain, swelling, bruising, being unable to move the joint; sometimes a pop or tear felt at the moment of injury | pain, muscle spasms, swelling, trouble moving the muscle |
Treatment
At first, both are usually treated the same way:
- rest the injured area;
- ice it;
- compress it with a bandage or device;
- take medicines.
Later, treatment may add exercise and physical therapy.
Sources
Based on "Sprains and Strains," MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, with its summary from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases; a work of the United States government in the public domain.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
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