SPRAINS AND STRAINS

There are 2 kinds of strain:

• Acute strain– It happens when a muscle becomes pulled or torn when it is stretched too far or too quickly. Maybe you slipped running round the pool (it’s never a good idea to run where it is slippery) or maybe you were lifting something too heavy for you or not lifting properly.
• Chronic strain– It happens when you are overdoing your practicing skills and using some muscles too much. Maybe you are a rower, a pitcher, bowler or gymnast.

Symptoms

When you have sprain you may experienced:

• A Sudden Sharp Pain
• Swelling Up Round the Injury
• Bruising
• Difficulty in Moving that Part of the Body
• Have Heard a Sound Like Something Popping
• That Part of your Body would not Feel as Strong as Usual

Symptoms of strain may include:

• Pain
• Swelling Around the Injured Part
• Spasm in the Muscle (muscles goes tight and really hurts until it relaxes)
• Difficulty in Moving that Part of the Body

DIAGNOSIS

If you are really hurting it is a good idea to see a doctor. Your doctor will look at your sore part and may touch it gently. Your doctor may also ask you to move the part or put some pressure onto it, like asking you to stand if your ankle is sore or try to push against his or her hand.

After that, your doctor may suggest x-ray to check if anything is broken.

TREATMENT

You can do the following to ease the pain of sprain or strain.

• Rest.  Stop what you are doing and keep still.
• Ice.Put ice on the part which hurts as soon as you possibly can. Don’t put ice directly on to your skin – wrap it in a wet cloth. Leave on for 20 minutes every 2 hours. Keep this up for about 24 hours; this will help keep the swelling down.
• Compression. This means press something around the injury like a firm bandage or even a scarf. This is to stop swelling and you can still put ice on top of it to make it feel better.
• Elevation.This means lift up the injured part if possible higher than your heart, for example lift your swollen ankle onto a chair while you lie down on the floor. This also helps to keep the swelling down.

If the strain and sprain is much more serious, you can see a doctor. He/she may:

• Have you wear a splint or a temporary cast (hard plaster bandage) for a while to help protect the part and keep it in a comfortable position.
• Wrap the injury in an elastic bandage.
• Give you some painkillers for a while to help you feel better.

PREVENTION

The best way to save yourself from sprains and strains is to keep your body fit and healthy by exercising regularly.

• Try to do a variety of different exercise every day so that you work all your body rather than just one part. This keeps everything in good condition.
• Don’t push yourself too hard as tired muscles are more likely to be damaged.
• Always warm up your body before exercising hard. For example, before a bike ride, a run or playing a sport where you are moving fast in short bursts.
• Take care when you are on uneven surfaces or on wet or slippery ground.