Sprains, strains and contusions are common soft tissue injuries that almost everyone sustains from time to time. Here’s an overview of what exactly each of these soft tissue traumas is, along with how to prevent and treat them.
Soft tissue trauma may be caused by sudden trauma or overuse. Sudden trauma includes blows and abnormal twists due to falls, bumps, irregular motion or any number of other mishaps that can occur. Overuse injuries stem from using a particular ligament or tendon more than it’s meant to be. An ankle sprain from misstepping is an example of a sudden trauma injury, while tendonitis in the elbow would be caused by overuse.
A sprain is the overstretching or tearing of a ligament, which is a connective tissue that links bones together. The most common places for sprains to occur are in the ankles, knees and wrists, but it’s not impossible to sprain your shoulder or another joint.
All sprains can be graded according to their severity:
Grades 1 and 2 sprains can usually be treated at home with basic protocols. Severe grade 3 sprains often require the expertise of an orthopedic doctor.
A strain is the overstretching or tearing of a tendon, which is a connective tissue that links muscles to bones. The most common places for strains are in the back and leg (e.g. the hamstring), but other tendons can be strained as well.
The most common symptoms of tendon strains are pain, swelling, inflammation, cramping, muscle spasms and muscle weakness. While sprains also can result in pain, swelling and inflammation, the muscle-specific symptoms are usually more indicative of a strain than a sprain.
Contusions are injuries to soft tissue that can affect muscles, ligaments and/or tendons. They’re colloquially referred to as bruises.
A contusion develops when something blunt impacts the body with force, thereby crushing the underlying soft tissue without breaking the skin. The discoloration that develops is a result of blood pooling around the soft tissue injury. Contusions may develop anywhere on the body.
While everyone will sustain minor sprains, strains and contusions at times, there are steps that athletes can take to mitigate the risk of soft tissue trauma while playing sports. Whether participating in a low-impact activity or a high-impact one, the following tips can help:
Minor and moderate soft tissue trauma can normally be treated at home with a basic protocol known as “RICE.” Rice stands for:
Resting allows the body to heal, while ice, compression and elevation help reduce swelling and inflammation. Compression also helps stabilize the area until it’s healed. When applying ice, ice should be put on the area for about 20 minutes at a time and indirectly. Wrapping an ice pack in a thin towel is an indirect application, for example.
More severe soft tissue trauma usually requires the expertise of an orthopedic doctor, who can correctly diagnose an injury and then recommend an appropriate course of treatment.
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