Treating Ligament Sprains
We often hear the word “sprain”, but do we really know what it means? Are we suffering from such condition, or something else?
A sprain means an injury to one ligament or a group of ligaments. Injury can mean a stretch, a tear, or even both. Ligament is defined as the connective tissue bands which connect one bone to another. Thus, ligament sprains can be defined as the damages to these connective tissues.
Ligament sprains occur as a result of a fall, trauma to the body, or an abrupt twist, which brings a joint to stray away from its usual position. When this happens, the ligament supporting the joint is either overstretched or torn.
The different parts of the human body, both upper and lower, are susceptible to ligament sprains. However, most sprains happen in the ankles. In fact, ankle sprain is considered as the leading injury in the country. Among the one million ankle damages every year, 85% are sprains.
Another favorite spot for sprains is the knee. A fall or a blow to a person’s knee is enough to give him a sprain. The knee consists of four ligaments, two of which are referred to as collateral ligaments, while the other two are known as cruciate ligaments. Collateral ligaments, which work to control the sideways movement of the knee, are specifically called as MCL or medial collateral ligament, and LCL or lateral collateral ligament.
The MCL serves to assist the knee’s inner part in maintaining stability by linking the tibia to the femur. Medial collateral ligament sprain can be brought about by a trauma to the knee’s outer side. This condition is common among contact sports athletes, such as hockey or football players.
The LCL, which is tasked to connect the fibula and femur together, are also at risk to tears. Lateral collateral ligament sprain occurs when there’s trauma or a twisting motion to the knee’s inner side. The cruciate ligaments, crossed over the middle area of the knee may also be damaged. In fact, most anterior cruciate ligament sprain happen along with a sprain of the MCL.
Treating ligament sprains, particularly, collateral ligaments, include the following: putting ice on the knee between 20-30 minutes for about 2 days or until swelling has and pain have stopped, and ice application should be about 3 hours apart.
In general, treating ligament sprains are not complicated. Since these conditions are mostly not emergency cases, the RICE theory is used. That is, rest, ice compression, and elevation.
Rest is an important element in treating ligament sprains. Due to the fact that sprains involve damage to the tissues, activities which triggers pain in specific areas should be avoided. Otherwise, the condition may only worsen.
The use of ice packs are not only beneficial to collateral ligament sprains, but all types of ligament sprains as well. Ice packs work best in getting rid of the pain. Putting ice packs on the sprained area for around 20 minutes at an interval of 2 hours until the pain is completely eliminated, has been proven to help in the healing process.
Compression means wrapping the sprained area to minimize swelling. Elastic bandages are usually used in this treatment technique. Elevating the injured body part is also an important treatment tip.
Sometimes, as the area starts to heal, it may require rehabilitation to assist it to faster and better recovery. An athletic trainer or a physical therapist can help patients choose the appropriate exercises which will gradually strengthen the area. Doing normal activities too soon may worsen the condition. So, hold on to your reins and wait for the perfect time. In the end, what matters most is not how soon you can do things, but how well you do them.