Is it a Sprain or a Strain? (part 2)

Find out the specifics of sprains and strains in this 2-part article

Part 2: Strains

There is a plethora of information surrounding sprains and strains. As a result, the information presented here has been split into 2 articles. This is part 2 – be sure to check out Part 1: Sprains.

What is a Strain?

When a muscle, tendon (what attaches muscles to bones), or its associated fascia is torn or suffers a stretching-based injury, it is called a strain. A tendon’s collagen fibers, which are what allow the tendon to become taut when its muscle pulls on it, break after a 6%-8% increase in length. However, a tendon is usually twice as strong as its associated muscle, so when a musculotendinous unit is strained, the injury is usually located within the center of the muscle (referred to as the muscle belly) or at the spot where the muscle fibers blend into the tendon (called the musculotendinous junction).

Is it a Sprain or a Strain? (part 1)

Find out the specifics of sprains and strains in this 2-part article

Part 1: Sprains

There is a plethora of information surrounding sprains and strains. As a result, the information presented here has been split into 2 articles. This is part 1 – be sure to check out Part 2: Strains.

The Basics

Sprains and strains are often discussed together and thought of as being essentially the same. This most likely is due to the fact that initial treatment for mild strains and sprains are so similar. However, there are differences between the two injuries, and the full course of treatment and rehabilitation after a severe strain is not the same as it would be for a severe sprain.

Debunking the Myths of Working Out

There are a myriad of myths and half-truths surrounding exercising and you’ve likely heard many of them – possibly even coming out of a friend or family member’s mouth. What follows is a list of the five most persistent misconceptions about exercising. You might be surprised by the physiology that challenges some of these beliefs.

The Healing Process

The inflammatory response, which is responsible for causing swelling right after an injury happens, is the first of three phases (or stages) of the body’s healing process. The amount of swelling and duration of the inflammatory response depends on the severity of the injury and the type of body tissues that are damaged.

The three stages of healing are often discussed separately, but the healing process is more of a continuum than a step-by-step procedure, and the various stages overlap each other without any true beginning or ending points. Because of this, time after injury is usually used to identify the stage of healing that a given injury is in (assuming that the normal healing process is taking place). It’s important to understand that the healing process needs to be uninterrupted in order for the body to heal properly and completely.

Swelling

Swelling is one of the body’s common reactions to injury.

But what is swelling?

It’s a collection of excess fluid that leaks out of the body’s blood vessels into the spaces between cells. It tends to accumulate in internal cavities within the body, like the area just in front of the bone on the side of your ankle when you have an ankle sprain (for you anatomy nerds: it’s called your sinus tarsi and it’s located anterior to your lateral malleolus). Despite the bad rap that swelling often gets, it’s necessary. It can help to protect the injured body part from further injury, and it kick-starts the healing process.

Now, swelling can identified as either acute or chronic.

Using a Heating Pad is not the same thing as Warming Up

Many performers – most often, they’re dancers (sorry, guys, but it’s true) – think that if they use a heating pad for a few minutes before a workout, rehearsal, or a performance they will be properly warmed up and ready for physical activity.  While using a heating pad can help achieve some of the things you need from a proper warm-up, it can’t do all of them.

When sports medicine professionals, like athletic trainers, tell you to warm up before you start a workout or a rehearsal, they don’t mean that they want a part of your body (say, your hamstring) to feel hot to the touch.  What they mean is they want you to go through the process of physiologically warming up.  Basically, they want you to do several minutes’ worth of light exercising that elevates your heart rate.

Why?