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Sprain

(Ligament Sprain)

Definition

A sprain is an injury that damages a ligament. Ligaments are strong bands of tissue that connect bones to each other.

Sprain: Grade 2

Causes

A sprain is when a force pushes the bones of a joint apart. If the force is strong enough, the ligament comes apart.

Risk Factors

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:

Basketball
Football
Skiing
Gymnastics

Here are some factors that may raise your risk:

Muscle weakness
Lack of flexibility
Coordination and balance problems
Sudden change in direction
Impact with object or other person
Misstep that causes a sudden strain at a joint

Symptoms

Having a sprain may cause:

Pain right away after the sprain—without care, the pain becomes worse over the next 24 hours
A popping sound
Local swelling, often within minutes
Bruising
Trouble moving the joint
Increased pain when putting pressure on the problem area

The most common joints that get sprained are:

Ankle
Knee
Thumb or finger joints
Shoulder

Diagnosis

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:

Grade 1—Some stretching with micro-tearing of ligaments
Grade 2—Partial tearing of ligaments
Grade 3—Complete tearing of ligaments

Treatment

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:

Rest

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:

Decrease Swelling

Elevation will help reduce swelling. Compression with an elastic bandage also helps control it.

Ice and Heat

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.

Medications

Medicine can help to reduce pain and swelling. Medicine may include:

Over-the-counter pain medicine, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen
Topical pain medicine—creams or patches that are put on the skin
Prescription pain medicine

Note: Aspirin is not advised for children with a current or recent viral infection. Check with your doctor before giving your child aspirin.

Rehabilitation

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.

Prevention

It may be hard to avoid sprains. Joints are at risk during sports. To lower your chance of getting a sprain:

Use proper techniques to help avoid awkward motions and missteps.
Do flexibility, strength, and fitness training.

RESOURCES

American College of Sports Medicine
http://acsm.org

Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES

Canadian Orthopaedic Association
http://www.coa-aco.org

Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation
http://www.canorth.org

References

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.

Revision Information

Reviewer: EBSCO Medical Review Board Laura Lei-Rivera, PT, DPT, GCS
Review Date: 05/2018
Update Date: 09/30/2013

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.