SPRAINS, STRAINS & TENNIS ELBOW
A joint sprain is the over-stretching or tearing of ligaments. Ligaments are the bands of tissue that connect two bones together in a joint. The most common location for a sprain is the ankle joint.
A joint strain is the over-stretching or tearing of muscles or tendons. Tendons are the dense fibrous cords of tissue that connect bones to muscles. The most common locations for a muscle strain are the hamstring muscle and the lower back.
The symptoms of a sprain and a strain are very similar. That’s because the injuries themselves are very similar. It’s no wonder the two conditions are frequently confused.
The main difference is that with a sprain you may have bruising around the affected joint, whereas with a strain, you may have spasms in the affected muscle.
| Common symptoms of sprains | Common symptoms of strains |
| • bruising • pain around the affected joint • swelling • limited flexibility • difficulty using the joint’s full range of motion |
• muscle spasm • pain around the affected joint • swelling • limited flexibility • difficulty using the joint’s full range of motion |
