Soft tissue is any part of the body other than bones and organs which help it to move and function, such as muscles, tendons, fat, fibrous tissue, nerves, or blood vessels. A soft-tissue injury that occurs in one of these body parts can be classified as one of the following:
Contusions or bruises.
Sprains and strains.
Tendonitis.
Bursitis.
Contusions occur when blood bleeds into the tissue without breaking the skin. You might notice pain and swelling in the area as well as discoloration where the blood has spread. A sprain takes place when you’ve twisted a joint, such as an ankle, knee, or wrist, causing a partial tear to a ligament. Similarly, a strain involves injury to your tendons or muscles. In a strain, no tear has taken place, but you’ve stressed the tendon or muscle through overuse in some way. Tendonitis is an inflammation of the tendons caused by overuse. Similarly, bursitis is an inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs between joints, also caused by overuse. These injuries typically are seen in joints, such as wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles. They can also occur in your hips or feet.