Sprain

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• The first degree is only a minor tear or stretch of a ligament
  Ligament
  
  Ligaments connect bone to bone. In anatomy, the term ligament is used to denote three different types of structures:# Fibrous Tissue that connects bones to other bones....
  .
• The second degree is a tear of a ligament, which is usually followed by pain or swelling
  Swelling (medical)
  
  In medicine, swelling is the enlargement of organs caused by accumulation of excess fluid in Tissue , called edema.It can occur throughout the body , or a specific part or organ can be affected ....
  
• The third degree is a complete rupture.
• The fourth degree breaks the ligament, along with some small bones if severe enough, and requires surgery to repair.
• The fifth degree tears all the ligaments and actually breaks all the surrounding bones; sometimes cannot be repaired and results in amputation.

Signs and symptoms

• inflammation
  Inflammation
  
  Inflammation is the complex biological response of Blood vessel tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. It is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli as well as initiate the healing process for the tissue....
  
• localized pain
  Pain
  
  Pain, in the sense of physical pain, is a typical sensory experience that may be described as the unpleasant awareness of a noxious stimulus or bodily harm....
  
• swelling
  Swelling (medical)
  
  In medicine, swelling is the enlargement of organs caused by accumulation of excess fluid in Tissue , called edema.It can occur throughout the body , or a specific part or organ can be affected ....
  
• loss of function
• loss of normal limb function
• elasticity of ligament decrease

Joints involved

• the ankle
  Ankle
  
  In human anatomy, the ankle joint is formed where the foot and the human leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot....
  . It is the most common, and has been said that sprains such as serious ankle sprains are more painful and take longer to heal than actually breaking the bones in that area. See sprained ankle
  Sprained ankle
  
  A sprained ankle, also known as an ankle sprain, twisted ankle, rolled ankle, ankle injury or ankle ligament injury, is a common medical condition where one or more of the ligaments of the ankle is torn or partially torn....
   for more details.
• the knee
  Knee
  
  ----The knee is the lower extremity joint connecting the femur, patella, and the tibia and the surrounding anatomical region which includes the popliteal fossa, also known as "knee pit"....
  . Perhaps one of the more talked about sprains is that to the anterior cruciate ligament
  Anterior cruciate ligament
  
  The anterior cruciate ligament is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It connects from a posterio-lateral part of the femur to an anterio-medial part of the tibia....
   (ACL) of the knee. This is a disabling sprain common to athletes, especially in basketball
  Basketball
  
  Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a basketball through a 10 feet  high hoop under organized rules....
  , football, pole vaulting, and judo
  Judo
  
  , meaning "gentle way", is a modern Japanese martial art and combat sport, that originated in Japan in the late nineteenth century. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either Throw one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling manoeuvre, or force an opponent...
  . See Anterior cruciate ligament injury
  Anterior cruciate ligament injury
  
  An injury to the anterior cruciate ligament can be a debilitating musculoskeletal injury seen most often in athletes. Non-contact tears and ruptures are the most common causes of ACL injury....
  .
• the finger
  Finger
  
  A finger is a type of digit , an organ of manipulation and sensation found in the hands of humans and other primates.Normally humans have five digits, termed phalanges, on each hand ....
  s.
• the wrist
  Wrist
  
  In human anatomy, the wrist is the flexible and narrower connection between the forearm and the hand. The wrist is essentially a double row of small short bones, called carpals, intertwined to form a malleable hinge....
  .
• the toe
  Toe
  
  Toes are the Digit s of the foot of an animal. Many animal species such as cats walk on their toes, and are described as being digitigrade....
  s.

Treatment

• Rest: The sprain should be rested. No additional force should be applied on site of the sprain. If, for example, the sprain were an ankle sprain, then walking
  Walking
  
  Walking is the main form of animal locomotion on Earth, distinguished from running and crawling . When carried out in shallow waters, it is usually described as wading and when performed over a steeply rising object or an obstacle it becomes scrambling or climbing....
   should be kept to a minimum.

• Ice: Ice should be applied immediately to the sprain to minimize swelling and ease pain. It can be applied for 20-30 minutes at a time, 3-4 times a day. Ice can be combined with a wrapping to minimize swelling and provide support.

• Compression: Dressings, bandages, or ace-wraps should be used to immobilize the sprain and provide support.

• Elevation: Keeping the sprained joint elevated above heart level will also help to minimize swelling.

External links

• [https://online.epocrates.com/u/2911578/Muscle+sprains+and+strains Muscle sprains] at epocrates.com