During the acute stage, the body manifests the trauma with a classic physiologic response. The subacute phase ranges from 72 hours after the initial onset of injury to 90 days after. The subacute stage is a crucial period in which the treating physician can ensure rapid recovery. It is also the hardest phase to differentiate, because it does not have the classic physiological signs usually associated with the acute or chronic phases. Most often the swelling has diminished, the pain has decreased, and the range of motion has slightly increased.
Patient compliance becomes an issue because they no longer feel intense pain.
Since they don't have excruciating pain, patients may routinely miss followup appointments. Pain should not be the indicating factor that a patient has reached maximum medical improvement. The chronic stage is characterized by prolonged length of disability and or pain to the afflicted area longer than 90 days. It is often marked by a significant decrease in range of motion, followed by a certain degree of dysfunction. For patients suffering from a chronic injury, there will be minimal improvement in the condition after maximal treatment.