Acute soft tissue injuries, which commonly denote strains and sprains, can be categorized as follows: - Grade I. With this type of injury, a small percentage of fibres are torn. The affected area will often be minorly to moderately painful and swollen, but the function and strength of the area will often remain unaffected. - Grade II. This type of sprain or strain denotes a moderate percentage of fibres that have been torn, pain and swelling across the site, and partial loss of function and strength. - Grade III. This type of injury is the most severe, as the soft tissue is often completely ruptured. There is a considerable loss of function and strength in the area, and high-level medical care is often required to treat and repair the site.