According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, sprains and strains accounted for 41% of all workplace injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work. Each day, 25,000 Americans suffer from an ankle sprain, which makes up almost half of all sports injuries.
How can you successfully treat my sprains and strains?
If these injuries are to the lower extremities (knees, ankles, feet), treatment may include icing, stretching, muscle testing, and spinal manipulation, along with home exercises and advice. If strains or sprains are in the back, treatment also often includes ice and pressure during the first 24 to 48 hours after injury, after which spinal manipulations, physical therapy, and restorative toning home exercise advice will be employed. Oakland Spine and Physical Therapy’s LCT 1000 Deep Tissue (Class IV) Laser Treatment may be added to rapidly relieve pain and accelerate the healing process.
What are the symptoms of sprains and strains?
A sprain is an injury to the body that results in a stretching or tearing of a ligament (which connects a bone to another bone) or a joint capsule (which supplies support to the joint). Strains occur when the muscles or tendons (fibrous tissues that attach muscles to bones) are twisted, pulled, or torn. Symptoms may include:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Muscle spasms
- Numbness
- Limited ability to move the affected joint or muscle
- Hearing or feeling a ‘pop’ in the joint at the time of injury
What causes sprains and strains?
Sprains happen when a joint is pushed past its normal range of motion. The most common sprains are to ankles, knees, and feet. This can occur through sports, weak muscle tone, improper warming up before exercise, heavy lifting, or pregnancy.
Strains are brought about when muscles are stretched and suddenly contract. The most common strains are to the hamstrings and the groin area, and usually occur with excessive repetitive motion, overly intense training without proper rest in between, overstretching, or a direct blow to the body.
