In the meantime, however, whether it’s a strain or a sprain, immediate treatment is generally the same. Doctors recommend:
Rest. Try to keep your injured body part immobilized until healing is well underway. This may be easier with the use of immobilization braces and crutches if needed.
Ice. Wrap ice in a towel to protect the skin and then ice the injured area for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day, while you recover.
Compression. Reduce swelling by wearing a compression bandage. Wrap the bandage so it’s snug but not uncomfortably tight.
Elevation. Keeping your injured body part higher than your heart can help reduce swelling and promote healing.
Medication. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories and pain relievers, taken as needed, may help reduce your pain and swelling.
Ligaments and tendons are both made up of fibrous connective tissue, but that’s about where the similarity ends.
Ligaments appear as crisscross bands that attach bone to bone and help stabilize joints. For example, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) attaches the thighbone to the shinbone, stabilizing the knee joint.
Tendons, located at each end of a muscle, attach muscle to bone. Tendons are found throughout the body, from the head and neck all the way down to the feet. The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body. It attaches the calf muscle to the heel bone. The rotator cuff tendons help your shoulder rotate forward and backward.
Ligaments appear as crisscross bands that attach bone to bone and help stabilize joints. For example, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) attaches the thighbone to the shinbone, stabilizing the knee joint.
Tendons, located at each end of a muscle, attach muscle to bone. Tendons are found throughout the body, from the head and neck all the way down to the feet. The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body. It attaches the calf muscle to the heel bone. The rotator cuff tendons help your shoulder rotate forward and backward.
The knee joint, for instance, has four major ligaments, one on each side of the knee and two that run diagonally across the front and back of the kneecap. These ligaments help stabilize the knee and keep it from moving too far to the left or right, forward or backward.
Tendons are also tough cords, but they have a little more give than ligaments. As a muscle contract, the attached tendon pulls the bone into movement. Think of what happens to your bicep when you bend your elbow. Tendons also help absorb some of the impact muscles take as they spring into action.
Ligament
When a ligament is overstretched or torn, it results in what’s technically known as a sprain. Many sprains happen suddenly, either from a fall, awkward movement, or blow.
Sprains commonly happen in the ankle, knee, or wrist. For example, a misstep can cause you to twist your ankle in an awkward position, snapping a ligament and causing your ankle to be unstable or wobbly. You might hear a pop or feel a tear when the injury occurs. A wrist is often sprained when you reach out your extended hand to break a fall, only to have the wrist hyperextend back. That hyperextension overstretches the ligament.
Symptoms of a sprained ligament generally include pain, swelling, and bruising in the affected area. The joint may feel loose or weak and may not be able to bear weight. The intensity of your symptoms will vary depending on whether the ligament is overextended or actually torn.
Doctors classify sprains by grades, from grade 1 (a mild sprain with slight stretching of the ligament) to grade 3 (a complete tear of the ligament that makes the joint unstable).
Tendon
When a tendon is overstretched or torn, it’s known as a strain. Common areas affected by strains are the leg, foot, and back.
Strains are often the result of habitual movements and athletics. Athletes who overtrain their bodies without adequate time for rest and muscle repair in between workout sessions are at increased risk.
Much like a sprain, symptoms include pain and swelling. You may also experience muscle cramping and weakness.
What’s tendonitis?
Tendonitis, another tendon injury, is an inflammation of the tendon. This can occur as a result of the natural aging process. Like other parts of the body, tendons weaken as we age, becoming more prone to stress and injury.
Tendonitis can also occur from overuse of a tendon. Golfers and baseball pitchers, for instance, often experience tendonitis in their shoulders.
Symptoms of tendonitis include pain when the muscle is moved and swelling. The affected muscle may feel warm to the touch.
Telling the difference between a ligament or tendon injury on your own can be hard. Whenever you have pain and swelling, see your doctor for a skilled diagnosis and effective treatment plan.
In the meantime, however, whether it’s a strain or a sprain, immediate treatment is generally the same. Doctors recommend:
- Rest. Try to keep your injured body part immobilized until healing is well underway. This may be easier with the use of immobilization braces and crutches if needed.
- Ice. Wrap ice in a towel to protect the skin and then ice the injured area for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day, while you recover.
- Compression. Reduce swelling by wearing a compression bandage. Wrap the bandage so it’s snug but not uncomfortably tight.
- Elevation. Keeping your injured body part higher than your heart can help reduce swelling and promote healing.
- Medication. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories and pain relievers, taken as needed, may help reduce your pain and swelling.
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