Sprains affect your ligaments – the tissues that connect bone to bone – leading to pain, inflammation, bruising and limited mobility. They happen when excessive force is placed on a joint, such as when you roll your ankle or twist your knee, and you might hear a popping sound at the time of occurrence. Strains affect tendons – the tendons that connect muscle to bone – and occur when a joint is overstretched, either acutely – such as landing badly from jumping or chronically – from receptive motions during sports or work. Both types cause pain, instability, swelling and soreness as well as limited range of motion in a muscle.
Treatment from both: Use RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) and over-the-counter meds.
Seek medical attention if:
~The pain is intense and comes on suddenly during activity or fall
~ The injury is accompanied by a popping or snapping noise, followed by swelling
~ The joint looks deformed
~ The injured area cannot bear weight or has a limited range of motion.