Are you the parent of a high school athlete? If so, you may have noticed an increase in injuries lately. At Cohen Health and Performance in McLean and Bethesda, we see many of these athletes for sports physical therapy.
While some injuries, like ACL tears, are traumatic, the most common injuries our physical therapists encounter are soft tissue strains and sprains.
Though these terms might sound similar, they refer to different types of injuries.
A strain is an injury to the muscle itself. Muscle strains often occur in the lower body during high-velocity activities like sprinting, cutting, and kicking. They can also happen in the upper body, typically from contact or a fall, though this is less common. Common lower-body muscle strains involve the hamstrings, calves, quadriceps (especially the rectus femoris muscle), and adductors.
If your athlete has strained a muscle, they will likely feel immediate pain in the affected area and describe a sensation of tearing or pulling in the muscle. Lower-body strains usually occur without contact and happen when an athlete is moving at high speed or decelerating.
A muscle strain can often be self-diagnosed at the time of injury using a few simple assessments:
– Pain when touching the injured area
– Pain when stretching the affected muscle
– Pain and/or weakness when contracting the affected muscle
– Possible bruising or discoloration of the skin over the injured area
A sprain, on the other hand, is an injury to a ligament. Common sites for sprains include the ankle and knee. A sprain occurs when a ligament is overstretched, leading to potential partial or full tears. Sprains often happen when an athlete lands awkwardly, steps on another player’s foot, or twists a limb into an unnatural position.
Similar to strains, sprains can also be self-diagnosed using these assessments:
– Pain when palpating the injured area
– Pain when moving or bearing weight on the affected joint
– Bruising and swelling in the affected area
The key difference between these two injuries is their location. Sprains are localized to joints, while strains are specific to muscles.
Future blog posts will provide examples of how you or your athlete can manage these injuries effectively.
If you suspect that you or your athlete has sustained a soft tissue injury, it’s important to have it evaluated by a physical therapist as soon as possible. We will assess the severity of the injury and provide detailed guidance on how to get back in the game as quickly as possible!
