If symptoms occur during periods of anxiety, they may be related to stress. Call a doctor for advice. A sprain is a tear or stretch in a ligament, the tissue band that connects the bones around a joint. Sprains are common in the ankles, knees, wrists and fingers. A strain is a tear or stretch in a muscle or tendon.
Strains often occur in the neck, back, thigh and calf.
Pain, swelling and bruising are symptoms for both sprains and strains. It is not always easy to tell a strain from a sprain or a fracture. If you cannot tell, treat the injury as though it were a fracture, and call a doctor for an immediate appointment. Also call a doctor for a severe strain. If the sprain or strain feels mild, apply a cold pack several times a day for up to three days.