You’re enjoying a beautiful hike when suddenly you hit a rock and your ankle turns. A white-hot shock of pain shoots up your leg and you find it hard to finish your trek. What happened?
Your immediate concern is whether you broke something or suffered a sprained ankle. Some acute injuries typically heal well with rest and home remedies. However, others can be severe, requiring medical intervention.
What is a strain or a sprain? What are the usual sprains and strains treatments, and how long does recovery take? Here’s what you can expect when you suffer an acute injury.
What Is a Strain? A Sprain? Examples of Acute Injury
Acute injuries run the gamut from broken bones to cuts and contusions. The National Academy of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases defines these events as things that happen suddenly, when a person falls, receives a blow, or twists a joint. They typically heal in anywhere from 2 to 10 weeks.
However, ignoring proper treatment can lead to chronic injury. That term refers to wear that develops over time from overuse, including returning to normal activities too quickly after an acute event.
People often confuse strains and sprains. Let’s take a closer look at each.
1. What Is a Strain?
Strains differ from sprains in that they affect your muscles and tendons – two types of soft tissue. Tendons attach muscles to bone and assist in moving your skeleton.
These injuries often occur when you quickly twist or pull a joint beyond its capacity to stretch. For example, you lean back too far when executing a golf swing and feel a sharp, stabbing pain in your lower back. You can even get strains during gentle activities like yoga, which is why you should always listen to your body and learn to differentiate between “good” and “bad” pain:
- “Good” pain: It doesn’t feel painful at all. You might feel a gentle tug and a bit of warmth, but the sensation shouldn’t go further than that.
- “Bad” pain: This type is sharp, stabbing, and downright uncomfortable. If you can’t quite get into a pose, ask for a modification or create one yourself. It’s why you should always seek a qualified guide or fitness professional when starting new activities.
2. What Is a Sprain?
Sprains affect the ligaments – a soft connective tissue that connects bone to bone. These injuries also often occur because of a strike, twist, or blow. However, excess stress can also result in overly taut muscles, increasing the risk that you’ll suffer this injury. When you have a smaller range of motion, it’s easier for deeper connective tissues to stretch or tear.
3. Symptoms of Strains and Sprains
How do you know if you have a strain, a sprain, or a broken bone? Unless you have visible signs like protruding bones, the only way to know what you’re dealing with is to seek medical attention.
Although you will feel pain, you might be able to walk on some minor fractures. You should go to your local emergency room if you experience the following symptoms:
- Swelling
- Pain
- Bruising
- Limited range of motion in the affected joint
- Hearing or feeling a “pop” upon injury
Continuing to use an injured limb can cause muscle imbalances to develop. These can worsen over time, leaving you with an increased risk of future injury.
Sprains and Strains Treatment and Recovery Time
You’ve suffered an acute injury and your X-ray shows it isn’t a broken bone. What are your options for sprains and strains treatments? How long can you anticipate your recovery to take?
Sprains and strains treatments fall into two main categories, although complementary therapies also help.
1. RICE
Rice is a handy acronym for “rest, ice, compression, elevation.” You can break it down as follows:
- Rest: You should take it easy for two to five days, depending on the injury’s severity. During this time, try not to put any unnecessary weight on the injured limb other than for necessary activities like going to the restroom. After this time, you can return to normal activities, but avoid vigorous exercise like jogging for up to eight weeks.
- Ice: Ice is best for managing inflammation. It’s ideal for the first 24 to 48 hours following an acute injury. Chronic aches typically respond better to heat.
- Compression: You may wish to wear a brace throughout your recovery.
- Elevation: Try to keep your limb elevated above your heart. Use pillows to elevate injured knees and ankles when seated or lying down.
2. Anti-Inflammatories
Your doctor will most likely advise you to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These include aspirin, ibuprofen (like Advil), and naproxen (like Aleve). Acetaminophen (Tylenol or Paracetamol) works differently by affecting your brain’s pain receptors but won’t reduce swelling.
In rare cases, your doctor may prescribe stronger pain medications. However, they’re less likely to do so nowadays, thanks to new prescribing guidelines instituted to prevent addiction. Furthermore, these drugs won’t reduce swelling.
3. Complementary Therapies for Strains and Sprains
Additionally, physical therapy techniques may help you recover. It’s advisable to begin a gentle exercise regimen and avoid impact sports like running or boxing, where you could exacerbate your injury.
Instead, stick to activities like walking and very lightweight machine exercises. For example, leg extensions are great for rebuilding knee strength after a strain or sprain, but you must go easy to avoid re-injuring the area.
You can also try gentle yoga poses, especially those easy enough to do in bed. Stretching allows oxygen and fluids to flow in and out of the injured area more readily, speeding healing.
Complications of Strains and Sprains
Ignoring acute injuries can cause them to balloon into bigger problems. You could end up with one of the conditions below, which may require surgical intervention.
1. Bursitis
Your joints are surrounded by fluid-filled sacs called bursa. When you have an acute injury, they often become inflamed and tender. In rare cases, your doctor may need to surgically drain them to achieve the desired relief. They can also use injectable steroids to reduce swelling, which is far more powerful than oral medications.
2. Tendonitis
Tendonitis occurs when your tendons become chronically inflamed due to overuse. The only recovery option is rest. However, you put yourself at an increased risk of tears by continuing to use the injured area.
3. Tears
Tears happen when a ligament or tendon detaches from its supporting structures. You will most likely require surgery and have a lengthy recovery time.
Preventing a Sprained Ankle or Other Acute Injury
What can you do to prevent an acute injury? While there is no failsafe when it comes to strains and sprains, certain common-sense precautions can reduce your risk:
- Warm-up and cool down: Before exercising, perform some dynamic stretches such as heel raises, squats, tai chi twists, and shoulder rotations to stimulate the flow of blood and synovial fluid to joints, making muscles, tendons, and ligaments more moist and less prone to tearing.
- Wear the right gear: Poorly fitting shoes are a runner’s nightmare. Hikers do well with a pair of boots that support their ankles. Tennis pros might consider wearing elbow support.
- Don’t overdo it: Avoid the “weekend warrior” syndrome. Your best exercise bet is moderate activity for 30 to 60 minutes daily, not squeezing in a marathon between Friday and Sunday.
- Get trained: Improper form can lead to strains and sprains – picture the person doing lat pulldowns at the gym while moving their entire torso back and forth. Talk to a trainer even if you’re an advanced exerciser. It pays to brush up, and you might learn something new.
Acute Injuries: Sprains and Strains
A sprained ankle can leave you on the disabled list. That’s no fun for an athlete or a casual jogger. Active sorts should know about strains and sprains treatments and how to prevent such injuries in the first place. After you can answer the “What is a strain?” question confidently, take a few minutes to evaluate your routine. Is there anything you need to improve to prevent acute injury?
