Whenever you participate in any kind of sports or recreational activity you set yourself up for risk of injury. The most common type of injury that a person may experience is a soft tissue type of injury. Three types of soft tissue injury are sprains, strains, and contusions. A sprain occurs when there is a painful twist to a joint that results in stretching or tearing of the ligamentous and capsular structures. A joint that is forced beyond its range of motion can stretch, tear and sometimes avulse the connective tissues that stabilize the joint.
Sprains describe injury to ligaments, which connect bone to bone, and joint capsule.
There are three categories in which sprains can be classified. Moderate level of pain, moderate point tenderness, moderate loss of motion and function, increased discoloration and instability. Severe swelling, pain, discoloration, point tenderness, instability, decreased function and motion. A third degree sprain may also represent a dislocation or subluxation of the joint. A strain occurs when there is a stretch, tear, or rip in the muscle or connecting tissue such as the fascia or muscle tendons.