Sprains and strains

Sprains and strains are injuries to soft tissue. Soft tissues connect, support and surround bones and organs in our bodies.

The most common soft tissues injured are:

• ligaments — a tough band of tissue that holds your bones together at your joints
• muscles — tissues that help move your body
• tendons — tissues that connect muscle to bone

What are the differences between a sprain and a strain?

Knowing the difference between a sprain and a strain helps you understand your injury better.

Sprains

A sprain is when you stretch or tear a ligament.

A sprain can be divided into 3 different grades:

• grade 1 (mild) — a slight stretch and small damage to the ligament
• grade 2 (moderate) — a partial (not complete) tear that makes the joint a bit loose
• grade 3 (severe) — a complete tear leading to a loose and unstable joint
• Common areas for sprains are:
• ankles
• knees
• wrists

Strains

A strain is when you stretch or tear a muscle or tendon.

Strains are also divided into 3 different grades:

• grade 1 (mild) — a slightly pulled muscle
• grade 2 (moderate) — a moderately torn muscle
• grade 3 (severe) — a severely torn muscle
• Common areas for strains are your back or leg, especially your hamstring muscle.

• Sprains and strains have several common symptoms. These include:

  • pain
  • swelling
  • bruising
  • difficulty lifting heavy objects or putting weight on the injured joint

Sprains and strains are caused by abnormal stretching and twisting of your soft tissue. They mostly happen during exercise or playing sport. You can also get a sprain or strain after a fall or accident.

Another cause of sprains and strains is repetitive movement or overuse. Repeated movement or pressure can slowly weaken your soft tissue over time.

See your doctor to make sure your injury is properly treated and to help prevent complications. You should also see your doctor if you have already received first aid treatment for a sprain or strain or if your symptoms are not getting better after a few days.

Your doctor or physiotherapist can give you further advice and treatment.

When should I seek urgent care?

You should seek urgent care if you:

• are unable to bear weight or walk
• have extreme pain, swelling or deformity (a change in shape)
• are not sure if you have a fracture or dislocation
• have chest pain or another pain that you do not think is from a sprain or strain

If you need to see your doctor but cannot wait for an appointment, you may be able to get treatment at a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic. Use the Service Finder to find your nearest one.

Your doctor will ask you questions about how the injury happened and what your symptoms are. This helps your doctor understand the type and severity of your injury.

Your doctor will examine you to check for:

• swelling
• bruising
• pain
• joint movement
• muscle strength
• ligament stability

X-rays can help check if you have a fracture. Sometimes, your doctor may use an ultrasound, computed tomography (CT scan) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to see the damaged area more clearly and rule out more serious injury.

Sprains and strains can take time to heal. It is important to get the right treatment to help you recover faster.

First aid treatment

Quick treatment can help decrease the swelling and pain when an injury happens. This treatment is also known as RICE.

• Rest the injured area — if your leg is hurt, your doctor may tell you to use crutches so you do not put weight on it.
• Ice — put a cold compress or ice pack on the injury for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, several times a day. Do not put ice directly on your skin.
• Compression — wear a bandage around the injury to stop any swelling and bleeding.
• Elevate — raise the injured area higher than your heart while resting to help reduce swelling.

You should only use RICE for the first 24 to 72 hours after your injury.

Treatment of mild injuries

After a physical examination, your doctor may tell you that you can manage your treatment at home.

Early movement and putting weight on the injured area when you can manage it can help improve healing.

Over-the-counter pain-relief medicines such as paracetamol can help with pain management. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) can also be used with caution. Speak with your doctor or pharmacist before use.

Once your injury starts to heal, you can start doing exercises to strengthen the injured area. Physiotherapy can help you with this.

Treatment of moderate to severe injuries

A severe injury might mean you need to keep the injured area rested for longer. You should follow the advice of your doctor.

Your physiotherapist may recommend:

• bracing, taping or bandaging the injury for a few weeks
• special exercises to help you heal

Other treatments such as ultrasound therapy or surgery are sometimes needed.

A complication of sprains and strains is repeat injuries. You may get repeat injuries if you return to sport too soon. It is important that you make a plan with your doctor about when it is safe for you to return to sport.

Another potential complication is chronic pain. Speak with your doctor about how to manage your chronic pain.

Many injuries happen when you suddenly increase the amount or intensity of your activities. Here is how you can reduce the risk of sprains and strains:

• Use proper equipment — wear the right gear, including well-fitted, supportive shoes.
• Increase the intensity of your activities gradually.
• Warm up, stretch and cool down before, during and after exercising.
• Rest — take regular breaks and listen to your body.
• Strength, balance and endurance exercises can improve your strength and help prevent injury.

Sports Medicine Australia (Opens in new tab) has information about soft tissue injuries.

Learn about why it is important to be physically active (Opens in new tab) at the Australian Physiotherapy Association website.

You can call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Languages other than English

The Agency for Innovation (ACI) NSW provides information about ankle sprains and pain management (Opens in new tab) in different languages.

The Health Translations website provides videos in many languages about understanding and managing pain (Opens in new tab).

Information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples

Our Mob (Opens in new tab) provides information about pain, pain management and the importance of movement for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.