A Strain or Sprain happens when you twist or overstretch a muscle, this could be due to not warming up before exercise.
Initially it is hard to say if you have strained or sprained a tendon (strain) or ligament (sprain)
Common Symptoms are:
- Tenderness, weakness or pain usually around the ankle, foot, leg, back, thumb, wrist or knee.
- You cannot put weight on the injury
- The area is swollen or bruised
- Muscles may painfully tighten on their own (muscle spasm or cramping)
How can you tell if it's a strain or a sprain?
Strain
Torn or overstretched muscle (a pulled muscle) - Most common it knees, feet, legs & back
Sprain
Torn or twisted ligament - Most common in wrist, thumbs & knees
To find out how out you can treat a sprain or strain yourself, click here