A sprain is an injury that damages a ligament. Ligaments are strong bands of tissue that connect bones to each other.
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A sprain is when a force pushes the bones of a joint apart. If the force is strong enough, the ligament comes apart.
Sprains can happen with everyday activities, but they are more common during sports. Sports with high speeds and risk of impact have a greater risk of sprains. These sports are:
Here are some factors that may raise your risk:
Having a sprain may cause:
The most common joints that get sprained are:
You will be asked about your symptoms and health history. A physical exam will be done.
Pictures may be needed. This will help check for damage to bones or other structures. This may be done with:
Sprains are graded from 1 to 3:
Treatment will depend on the joint involved and how much it is injured. Talk with your doctor about the best plan for you. It may mean:
Treatment will depend on the joint involved and how much it is injured. Talk with your doctor about the best plan for you. It may mean:
Elevation will help reduce swelling. Compression with an elastic bandage also helps control it.
Ice may help reduce swelling and pain in the first few days after you are hurt.
After a couple of days, heat may help loosen tight or injured muscles. Wait for swelling to go away before using heat.
Medicine can help to reduce pain and swelling. Medicine may include:
Note: Aspirin is not advised for children with a current or recent viral infection. Check with your doctor before giving your child aspirin.
Rehabilitation exercises may be helpful after the sprain heals. Exercises can help make muscles stronger and increase range of motion. Medical help is often needed at this stage. It is important to strengthen the muscles where the ligament is. Those muscles need to be protected against further injury.
It may be hard to avoid sprains. Joints are at risk during sports. To lower your chance of getting a sprain:
American College of Sports Medicine
http://acsm.org
Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org
Canadian Orthopaedic Association
http://www.coa-aco.org
Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation
http://www.canorth.org
Ankle sprain. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at:http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T113633/Ankle-sprain. Updated April 30, 2018. Accessed June 11, 2018.
Derry S, Moore RA, Gaskell H, McIntyre M, Wiffen PJ. Topical NSAIDs for acute musculoskeletal pain in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev.2015;(6):CD007402.
Sprained ankle. Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Available at: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00150. Updated February 2016. Accessed June 11, 2018.
Last reviewed May 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Laura Lei-Rivera, PT, DPT, GCS Last Updated: 9/30/2013
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