Sprained ligaments result from tearing or overstretching of ligament tissue. Learn about ligament sprains in this medical video.
Immobilize the sprained area
Limit weight bearing
Ice down the joint
Elevate the area
Wrap with a compressive band
Dr. Stallworth is board certified in rehabilitation and phsycial medicine. She graduated from Baylor College of Medicine and finished her residency at Baylor. Dr. Stallworth is known for being a superb and compassionate physician that believes in not only health of the body of the mind as well. She currently serves on the board of Centennial Medical Center and is a former board member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She now resides with her family in middle Tennessee.
DR. CATHERINE STALLWORTH, M.D.: Hi I am Dr. Cathy Stallworth and I would like to talk to you today about ligament sprains. Many people do not know the difference between a sprain and a strain and it is actually quite simple. A sprain is an injury that occurs to a ligament and a strain is an injury that occurs to a muscle. What is a ligament? I have got a model of the knee here which very nicely demonstrates what a ligament looks like. A ligament is a band of connective tissue that basically joins your muscles. A ligament is a band of connective tissue that joins the bones together. So here we are seeing the lateral collateral ligament of the knee. The joints that are most commonly affected by sprains are the ankle, the knee and the wrist. Most sprains occur as a result of some type of an acute trauma whether it is falling on an outstretched wrist or maybe getting hit in a sports type activity, jumping up and twisting the ankle. All of those things can cause sprains. What happens when a sprain occurs? Basically what happens is that the joint becomes displaced. As the joint becomes displaced that stretches the ligament and then there is a small tear to the ligament. What do you do if you have an ankle sprain or a wrist sprain? Certainly the first thing that I recommend is immobilization or protecting the joint. The next intervention should be relative rest. So if you have significantly sprained the ankle, I would recommend limited weight bearing on the ankle. Another option is to ice 20 minutes three times a day. We also recommend compression. That usually involves wrapping the joint with an ace wrap or some type of a compressive wristband or ankle strap, something like that. And then the last thing we recommend typically is elevation or getting the joint higher than the heart. That allows gravity to decrease the swelling in the affected joint. Another thing that is very, very helpful for sprains is the use of an analgesic or an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication such as naproxen or ibuprofen. As a physiatrist, I am a big proponent of exercise to reduce future injury. Once you have sprained a ligament, you are more prone to injury there. So it is very important that the muscle surrounding the joint remain very strong to help protect the ligaments. Certainly working with a physical therapist or even beginning your own type of home program would work. Many athletic trainers are very well versed in exercises that you can do to strengthen.
