Sprains And Strains 101: Is Physical Therapy Really The Right Choice?
Let's First Talk Sprains:I'll spare you from a long winded physiology explanation about sprains. Sprains are associated with your ligaments. Sprains are trauma placed on supporting ligaments positioned around joints throughout your body. Ligaments are very strong fibrous connective tissue present around many joints, and are mainly concerned with attaching and holding bones together. Ligaments main job is to provide support to your joints so you can move, play sports, and do daily activities. Most often, ligaments are injured due to sudden or abrupt pull. Such a sprain can also cause painful inflammation, severe joint pain, and in some cases, dislocation and inability to move a limb, bleeding and swelling at the affected area are also sometimes present. Some of the most common types of sprains are ankle sprains and wrist sprains.And What Is A Strain?Strains are a little different than a sprain. A muscle strain is a condition in which the muscle fibres stretches or tears beyond its limits due to stress. When an individual suffers from a strain, they will experience severe pain at the affected site, mild swelling, bruise, weakness or dysfunction in the associated muscles. Some of the common types of strains are back strain, hamstring strains and tendonitis. Muscle strains that are commonly associated with sports activity are Tennis elbow and Golfer's elbow.Physio - Truly One Of The Best Ways for Treating Sprain and StrainIn both the above mentioned conditions, if you don't follow immediate treatment procedures, your condition may worsen, and ultimately you may face advanced complication which could have been easily avoided in the first place.The musculo-skeletal (bones and muscles) are the parts of your body typically involved in sprain and strain injuries. Medication and surgery can be avoided many times when strains or sprains occur, thanks to early intervention with a physical therapist. There are many service providers who claim to be a one stop shop "pain relief clinic". But many people who understand and work in health care ultimately end up choosing a qualified and registered physiotherapy professional to provide physical therapy services from their painful sprains and strains.Many people also feel that a sprain and strain can heal on its own, you may be one of them? Sure. Your injury may be minor enough to heal on its own with no intervention. But even some minor injuries, depending on where the injury occurs on the body, can take long periods of time to heal without treatment, and may be more prone to future injury. During the self-healing process, if the injured site is hurt again, it may take even more time. In order to help correct your injury sooner, and safely prevent the injury from reoccurring, it is essential to seek advice from a physiotherapist. Physiotherapy exercises and therapy procedure that you will follow will not only help you recover from your injury, but also know about preventive measures that will help you in long term.Treating your sprained ankle or strained area with ice is one of the most common treating procedures followed by physiotherapists. Subsequent treatment will include compressing and elevating the injured area. Rest is an important part of therapy. If there is a bone fracture, it is advisable to bring along an x-ray of the affected are while meeting a physiotherapist.Many people who are suffering from sprain or strain have a misconception that physiotherapy will aggravate the injury and cause more pain. It's a myth. Although the treatment procedure may cause some temporary discomfort, the goal of therapy is complete pain relief, and prevention of reoccurrence. The goal of physiotherapy to give you the best possible treatment so that you can resume your normal life as quickly as possible.
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