SPRAINS, STRAINS AND MUSCLE PAIN

The causes of sprains and strains

Sprains and strains are injuries to the soft tissues around joints. ‘Strains’ normally refers to damage to muscles while we tend to use ‘sprains’ to describe injuries to ligaments, the bands of flexible connective tissue that connect bones to one another and hold our joints in place.

This damage is often the result of excessive or unusual force being applied to a joint or the muscles around it. As a result, a lot of sprains and strains happen during sporting activities when we subject our joints and muscles to extra stress.

However, even a small slip or sudden unexpected movement can lead to injury, swelling and pain.

SPRAINS

Ligaments

Although ligaments are strong, sudden changes of direction of movement, as well as slips, falls or collisions, can cause them to twist or tear.

Joints

Common locations for sprains include the knees and ankles, which can be subject to high forces during sport, as well as wrists and thumbs which can be jarred in a collision or fall.

STRAINS

Stretch

A strain occurs when muscle fibres over-stretch or tear. It's usually the result of the muscle being stretched beyond its limits or forced to contract (shorten) too quickly.

Muscles

Muscle strains are particularly common in the large muscles of the legs. Strains of the lower back are also common, especially as a result of heavy or awkward weights being lifted or carried.

The symptoms of sprains and strains

Symptoms of sprains include:

Pain around the affected joint
Inability to use the joint normally or put weight on it
Swelling, bruising and tenderness

There may be swelling soon after the injury, but the bruising may not show until later or it may not show at all.

Bruising sometimes develops away from the affected joint, as blood seeps along the muscles before surfacing to the skin.

Symptoms of strains include:

Swelling, bruising or redness
Pain in the affected muscle at rest
Pain in the muscle or associated joint during use
Muscle spasms (when the muscles contract tightly and painfully)
Weakness and loss of some or all of the function in the affected muscle

Why Ibuleve is recommended for
your sprains and strains

As a topical pain reliever, Ibuleve is a good choice for pains and strains where the pain is localised. Ibuleve is applied precisely and repeatedly to the specific affected area and has been shown in a published study to be as fast and effective as ibuprofen pills.

Ibuleve is easily absorbed right at the point of pain, helping to bring effective, targeted relief wherever the site of sprains and strains.

Inflammation is almost always a side effect of a sprain or strain. Ibuleve delivers the proven anti-inflammatory power of ibuprofen directly to the inflamed tissues, helping to reduce swelling and relieving pain.

Avoiding and managing
sprains and strains

Generally, you should try to start moving a sprained joint as soon as it's not too painful to do so, to keep the joint’s flexibility. Strained muscles, on the other hand, should normally be immobilised, at least for a few days.

The best way to prevent sprains and strains is good preparation for physical activity. Make sure you wear the right footwear for the activity you're doing.

Warm up properly before exercise to loosen your muscles and ligaments, and use stretching exercises afterwards to ‘cool down’.

If you regularly play a specific sport, do strengthening and flexibility exercises around the joints and muscles most likely to come under stress.