Differences Between a Sprain, Strain, and Tear
Whether you’re new to the workout arena or are experienced, muscle injuries occur to the best of us. While we can try and prevent them with proper exercise form and warm-up routines, sometimes our pride takes reign over our better judgment. Understanding the severity of your muscle condition is the start of creating an active recovery program.
Muscle Sprain
One of the most common injuries that any good sports medicine physician near LAX will treat is a muscle sprain. This is considered an injury to the ligament of the body. The best example we can give for this type of injury is a twisted or sprained ankle. Let’s say you’re running and your foot lands on uneven ground. That twist you feel in your ankle followed by the jolt of pain is a ligament problem.
Sprains can be a result of a ligament tearing or overstretching. Ligaments are those fibrous connective tissues that stabilize the bones and the joints. Sprains are simply the result of the joint being forced into a non-natural position. Most patients will experience sprains in their wrist, knee, or ankle.
Muscle Strain
The best chiropractor near LAX will be able to diagnose whether or not you have a muscle sprain or a strain. You’ve learned that a sprain has to deal with the ligaments. Strains, on the other hand, deal with the tendons and muscles themselves. A strain is simply defined as tearing or overstretching of the tendon or muscle.
Tendons are defined as the fibrous tissues that simply connect the muscle to the bone. Strains can form from a single event or can develop over time from repetitive movements. Your skilled sports injury doctor near LAX should be able to assess whether your injury is acute or severe. Acute strains happen with an instantaneous stretch or tear of the tendon or muscle. Chronic cases stem from more repetitive motions that put a fair amount of stress on the tendon or muscle over time.
Tear
Tears can happen to tendons, muscles, and ligaments. This is when the fibrous tissues that make up the tendons, muscles, or ligaments become overstretched. In these types of cases, injuries can take months to heal. Your sports injury specialist near LAX should be able to reveal to you how long it will take for your injury to heal.
On average, the worse the tear is, the more inflammation your body will experience. This will make it harder for the tear to heal quickly. Most patients can get away non-surgical rehabilitation that consists of self-care and physical therapy. However, some tears may require the assistance of a surgeon to repair. An example of this may be an ACL tear which is the tear of a ligament.
If you’re experiencing one of these conditions, it’s always a good idea to get your condition checked out and diagnosed by a medication professional. In the early stages of your recovery, you should take NSAIDs and apply ice to the area to reduce swelling. As your injury heals, you’ll need to be performing regular stretching rehabilitation exercises to ensure your successful recovery and a complete regain of your usual range of motion.