It’s just a sprain

This phrase is perhaps one of my greatest pet peeves because it implies an injury is no big deal and it reflects a lack of understanding of basic anatomy. You may have heard that some sprains are worse than fractures which is in fact true. There are certain fractures that will heal on their own with very little intervention whereas some sprains require surgery to fix. An ACL tear is a sprain and is in fact a season ending injury for any athlete, but no sports commentator or coach is going to write it off as just a sprain.

So what exactly is a sprain? A sprain is an injury to a ligament which is a band of soft tissue which connects bone to bone. Ligaments provide stability to joints while allowing functional movement. For example, the collateral ligaments of a finger allow the finger to flex and extend but prevent the finger from bending side to side.

Sprains are typically graded on a scale of one to three which would correspond to a mild, moderate, or severe sprain. A grade one sprain is one where the ligament has been stretched but there is no tear. A grade two sprain is a partial tear of the ligament, and a grade three tear is a complete tear of the ligament. Determining the severity of a sprain is critical in determining the course and duration of treatment.

Have you been told it’s just a sprain but are struggling getting back into your game? Contact me to make an appointment, and let’s get you on the path to recovery.