Muscle Strain vs. Sprain: Understanding the Difference

QI Spine Clinic, 8 months ago

The joints in your body enable stability and movement at your command. They are designed to do wonders allowing you to move, stretch, jump, roll, stabilise yourself, and more. However, there’s always an upper limit on what you can achieve. Overstretching a joint has consequences especially when you recall the joints for an intensive activity suddenly  without a proper warm up or training. It could be your regular sport turning intensive at the neck of time or that last lap you want to run on a jogging track or an accident putting intense pressure on a joint. This is a juncture where you could trip or develop a strain or sprain.

In this blog, we will explore what differentiates muscle strain and sprain from each other as well as the symptoms, treatment, and recovery process that should help you make well-informed decisions ahead.

What is a Sprain?

Often interchanged with Strain, a Sprain is categorised as an injury that occurs when a joint is stressed and overstretched. It can even cause ruptures in the supporting ligament in the events such as if you fall or twist. The joints are mostly stable during mild sprain although may become unstable as the intensity increases. In case of a severe sprain, it can result in ligaments tearing causing the bones to separate affecting the joint functions extensively.

Depending upon the severity of the sprain, these are classified into three grades.

Grade 1:

It includes mild strain with damage to the ligament and can be treated with the RICE technique.

Grade 2:

It includes moderate sprain with a partial tear of ligaments that require immobilization.

Grade 3:

It is a severe sprain with a complete ligament tear, and unstable joint, and may need surgery as a part of its recovery process.

What is a Strain?

In case of a strain, it is categorised by sudden pulling, twisting, over-contracting, or overstretching of tendon or muscle injury. Common symptoms include swelling, pain, stiffness, and reduced efficiency of the joint. The causes of a strain include sports activities like running, rowing, tennis, etc, as well as standing or sitting for a prolonged period. The grades mentioned in the previous ‘Sprain’ section apply to ‘Strain’ as well based on the severity.

Which is worse: Differentiating Muscle Strain and Sprain

The symptoms and treatment for sprain and strain are almost alike. Here, the sprains affect ligaments while strains affect tendons both of which have several grades. The first grade dictates overstretching, the second grade signifies partial tear while the third grade shows complete tear wherein you are likely to undergo surgery.

Common symptoms in both conditions include swelling, difficulty in achieving a full range of motion on the affected joint, pain, and limited flexibility. Strains show signs of muscle spasms too while sprains are more common with bruising.

When it comes to which is worse, it depends on many factors including the patient’s medical history, current conditions, comorbidities, the symptoms, etc. Since both tendons and ligaments are connective tissues between joints, the grade of sprain or strain can tell which is worse than the other better although the pain perception differs from person to person.

Diagnosis

A doctor would essentially assess the patient for any bruises, swelling, tenderness, and redness in the affected region. A physical examination which includes pressing on the affected region and comparing it with the uninjured side tells a lot about the condition. The doctor will rule out any possibility of breaks or fractures causing the pain. You might be required to undergo a series of imaging tests such as X-Rays, CT Scans, and even MRIs to find the root cause and the required treatment plan.

Treatment

In case of severe strain or sprain, you might need to undergo surgery or immobilisation for a certain period as advised by the doctor. However, mild sprain or strain can be treated with the RICE technique explained below.

Rest:

Mild sprain or strain doesn’t require much but you will need ample rest to allow the affected joints to heal themselves as it takes the excess pressure off the joints.

Ice:

If there’s swelling and inflammation, wrap ice with a thin cloth or towel and apply it on the affected area for 20 minutes. Do not apply ice on the skin directly. Remove the ice for 20 minutes and repeat the process during the initial 24 to 48 hours.

Compression:

Once the previous step is done, the next is the compression. Use a trainer’s tape or bandage on the affected area to reduce swelling. Remember not to wrap it too tight as it can reduce blood circulation.

Elevation:

Lastly, rest the affected joint elevated to that it is above the level of your heart. It will reduce swelling, especially in the ankle and knee joints. You can search for elevated positions in case of sprain or strain in the back or neck. In any case, keep yourself parallel to the floor if you can’t find an elevated position.

Prevention

Muscle pull, strain or sprain is rather a lifestyle-linked injury and can be prevented with slight changes in what you do in a day. For instance, stretching has proven its calibre in relieving pain such as back pain. It elongated the muscles giving them much flexibility to resist abrupt stresses such as when you jump or pull a muscle. Taking a stroll between work is another way to beat any muscle strain. Similarly, being cautious when walking, working, exercising, or doing any task makes a lot of sense.

Wrapping Up

Often used interchangeably, both strain and sprain affect two major connective tissues between joints i.e. tendons and ligaments. The symptoms are almost the same and fortunately, so is the treatment on a general view. Your doctor should be able to diagnose the issue and find a tailor-made treatment plan based on their assessments which includes RICE technique, braces and support to the affected region, medications, physical therapy, etc.

Trusting a healthcare professional is difficult for many. However, QI Spine Clinic has helped thousands of customers avert undergoing surgery for spine-related problems. With the latest machines and technology paired with the best doctors available, we are the leading spine specialists in India. You can book an appointment with us at 086558 85566 to know more.