Can you sprain a ligament

Speak to a pharmacist about the best treatment for you. They might suggest tablets, or a cream or gel you rub on the skin.

At first, try painkillers like paracetamol to ease the pain and ibuprofen gel, mousse or spray to bring down swelling. If needed, you can take ibuprofen tablets, capsules or syrup that you swallow.

Avoid strenuous exercise such as running for up to 8 weeks, as there's a risk of further damage. Not warming up before exercising, tired muscles and playing sport are common causes. They can tell you the right place to get help if you need to see someone.

It is likely that your ankle is sprained, or twisted. A sprain involves the overstretching or tearing of the ligaments, which are the fibrous connective tissues that connect bones to each other and stabilize them. On the other hand, inner-ankle sprains, which are less common than those on the outside of the ankle, result from the ankle rocking inward and the foot turning outward.

Joint or muscle pain, inflammation, hampered movement, tenderness and bruising are symptoms of a sprain. The severity of the sprain can range from mild to serious.

A tweak of the ankle could result in an overstretched ligament that becomes tender, swollen and stiff, but the ankle should still be stable enough to support the weight of walking.

Recovery from a torn ligament may take several weeks, and should be done under the supervision of a health care provider. A strain is the overstretching or tearing of a muscle or tendon, which are the fibers that connect the muscles to the bones. They can occur from a single incident or from repetitive movements over the long term.

Muscle spasms, weakness, cramping and immobility, as well as pain, bruising and swelling are symptomatic of a strain. There is a key difference, and knowing what that is can help you differentiate between joint sprains and strains.

A joint sprain is the overstretching or tearing of ligaments. Ligaments are the bands of tissue that connect two bones together in a joint. The most common location for a sprain is the ankle joint. A joint strain is the overstretching or tearing of muscles or tendons. Tendons are the dense fibrous cords of tissue that connect bones to muscles. The most common locations for a muscle strain are the hamstring muscle and the lower back. The symptoms of a sprain and a strain are very similar.

The main difference is that with a sprain you may have bruising around the affected joint, whereas with a strain, you may have spasms in the affected muscle. Certain situations make you more likely to injure your joints. These include:. Anyone at any point can experience a sprain or strain, but certain risk factors increase your odds for overstretching a joint.

These risk factors include:. Doctors often diagnose a sprain or strain by excluding other causes for your symptoms. Accessed April 27, Walls RM, et al. General principles of orthopedic injuries. Philadelphia, Pa. Safran MR, et al. In: Instructions for Sports Medicine Patients.

Sprains, strains and other soft-tissue injuries. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Ankle sprain. Rochester, Minn. Maughan KL.