OUCH! But is it a strain, sprain or tear?
MuSCle and joint damage are among the most common sports injuries. First aid on the spot is key — but after this it’s usually a question of allowing the body to rest and heal without the need for a trip to hospital.
Some of the best-known problems fall into this category such as sprained ankles, groin strains and hamstring tears. Most of us have suffered a sprained ankle at one time or another, due to damaging the ligaments surrounding the joint by landing awkwardly.
Groin strains are common in people who play sports that require a lot of running and jumping. Suddenly jumping or changing direction is a likely cause, particularly in sports such as squash, tennis or cricket.
A hamstring injury can occur if the tendons or muscles in the back of your thigh are stretched beyond their limit, often during explosive movements such as sprinting, lunging or jumping.
Recurring hamstring injury is common in professional athletes and sportspeople — you’re more likely to hurt your hamstring if you’ve injured it before. However, it’s also easy for amateurs to damage it — particularly if they have not warmed up properly.
SPRAIN OR STRAIN?
A SPRAin is a torn or twisted ligament (the tissue connecting two bones) and is common in wrists, ankles, thumbs and knees.
A strain happens when a muscle is overstretched or torn, and is also known as a pulled muscle. it is usually found in the back, legs, knees or feet.
Both problems have similar symptoms and treatments.
SYMPTOMS
Pain, tenderness or weakness Area is swollen or bruised The person cannot put weight on the injury or use it normally
Muscle spasms or cramping, where the muscles painfully tighten on their own As well as the above symptoms, specific strains can cause different problems, too.
GROIN STRAINS: Pain will be focused on the area of the groin and the inside of the leg. The person may also experience pain
when bringing their legs together or raising their knees. They may experience a popping or snapping feeling in the groin at the time of injury, followed by severe pain.
TORN HAMSTRING: As a group, the three large muscles at the back of the thigh are known as the hamstring. A hamstring injury can be a tear to these muscles, or to the tendons (dense bands of tissue) that attach the muscles to the bone.
Recovering from a hamstring injury can take days, weeks or
months depending on the injury’s severity.
WHAT TO DO
THe treatment for all muscle strains and tears involves using ice, rest and painkillers to ease discomfort and reduce swelling.
To reduce swelling and pain apply an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a tea towe to the area of the injury. Try to ice for 20 to 30 minutes every two to three hours. Do not apply ice directly to the skin.
Wrap a bandage around the injured limb to provide comfortable support.
elevate the injured limb by putting it on a pillow or cushion for one to two hours.
encourage the person to take anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen to help reduce pain and swelling.
advise the person to rest the injured muscle until the pain recedes.
advise the person to see their GP or a physiotherapist, who can recommend active strengthening exercises once the pain has gone.
More serious muscle injuries can involve full or partial tears to ligaments and tendons, such as a ruptured achilles tendon or an anterior cruciate ligament tear:
RUPTURED ACHILLES TENDON
an aChIlleS tendon rupture is a tear of the tendon that connects your calf muscle to your heel bone. You can either completely or partly tear your achilles.
although anyone can rupture their achilles tendon at any age, it most frequently occurs in people aged 30 to 50 when they exercise or play sport.
Men are more likely to rupture their achilles tendon than women, often when quickly changing direction while playing sport.
SYMPTOMS
Distinctive cracking or popping noise — sometimes likened to hearing a gunshot or whiplash Difficulty walking Sudden severe pain in the back of the leg
Inability to put full weight on the ankle Swelling to the calf Bruising to the lower leg
WHAT TO DO
Seek immediate medical help by taking the person to either their GP or a&e. If you cannot take them yourself, call 999 or 112 for emergency aid.
advise the person to take painkillers.
ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT TEAR
the anterior cruciate ligament (aCl) is a tough band of tissue that joins the thigh bone to the shin at the knee joint. It runs diagonally through the inside of the knee, providing stability to the joint and controlling the back-andforth movement of the lower leg.
aCl injuries are among the most common types of knee injuries, accounting for around 40 per cent of all sports injuries. they are often sustained during skiing, tennis, squash, football and rugby.
an aCl can be fully or partially torn if the lower leg extends forwards too much, or if the knee and lower leg are twisted. this can happen when landing incorrectly from a jump; stopping or changing direction suddenly; or having a collision such as a football tackle. If you tear your aCl, you may need to have reconstructive surgery.
SYMPTOMS
A popping sound during injury Pain An unstable knee which loses its full range of movement Joint swelling
WHAT TO DO
help the person to sit. apply an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables to the knee. Call 999 or 112, or take them to hospital.