Treatment of sprains

Sprain treatment is one of the most common types of orthopedic treatment. Unlike many other diseases, sprain does not have a peak season. With injuries of the musculoskeletal system, people refer to doctors throughout the year. This happens during the spring-summer season when people begin to engage in physical activity and sports: go out into nature, run, and also go to country-houses. And this also happens during the autumn-winter season, when schools and sports groups begin, adults and children go snowboarding, skiing, ice skating. And among older people, sprains generally happen in the most everyday situations: at home, in the garden or in the yard.

Received minor injuries and the accompanying sprains cause a lot of inconvenience to patients: pain, discomfort both when moving, and when having a rest. Many patients are deceived by the illusion of improvement, which is often observed with sprains. But as soon as the patient begins to walk, the injury hurts again. But this time, with increased pain.

Symptoms of sprains

Very often, patients do not refer to a doctor for treatment for sprains on time, as they take their injuries for a simple bruise. They continue to move and lead a familiar lifestyle, which only worsens their condition. The sprain, which is not treated, will make a person feel not only additional discomfort and pain but tendon may completely rupture and immobilize the patient. A sprain is characterized by the following symptoms:

• Joint pain during movement, greatly aggravated by trying to turn the joint in the direction to which it was sprained during the injury;
• When pressing on the area of the sprain and the places of the attachment of tendons to the bones;
• During leg sprains - pain when stepping on the leg, sometimes (rarely) it is completely impossible to take steps;
• The appearance and gradual increase in joint edema, sometimes reaching large sizes;
• In some cases - hematoma (bruise), redness and fever in the area of the injury; often a hematoma appears on the second day, and just below the injured area;
• Over time, edema will only increase. With the moderate injury, there is a significant limitation of joint mobility; with a complete rupture of the tendon - on the contrary, the joint becomes excessively mobile and unstable, which becomes especially noticeable after the edema subsides.
• With moderate to severe injury, sometimes you can hear crunch - a sound of fiber torn in a bundle.

First aid for sprains

While waiting for a doctor who will treat the sprain, the patient can perform a few simple manipulations.

• Bandage an injured area. The bandage should tightly fix the joint in a normal position, but not interfere with normal blood circulation;
• Immobilize a damaged part of the body. In the first hours and days of injury, for the injured limb it is very important to have a rest. If your shoulder/arm is injured, try not to lift anything, and do not move it at all. If you have an injury of the knee, do not walk and load the injured leg.
• Put your damaged limb on a raised platform. This mainly applies to the legs. A small pillow or cushion under the foot will guarantee the desired position. This will help prevent the appearance of extensive hematomas and reduce leg pain;
• Apply ice wrapped in a cloth to the place of injury for 15-20 minutes. Repeat every 3-4 hours. These cold compresses will help prevent bruising and reduce pain.

These simple manipulations are a mandatory first aid for the sprain.

Types of sprains

Most often, patients seek treatment for the following types of sprains:

• Foot Sprain. Often arise as a result of tucking the legs;
• Knee Sprain. This type of sprain, as a rule, is the result of an unsuccessful fall. The patient experiences acute pain, a significant knee swells;
• Back Sprain. It arises as a result of significant physical exertion when playing sports or when lifting weights. It is characterized by acute and throbbing pain. A patient finds it difficult to stand and sit. Relief occurs only in the laying position;
• Hand Sprain. This type of sprain is the result of increased stress on the hand or a failed landing.
• Elbow Sprain. This type of injury affects many athletes and weightlifters. It arises both as a result of lifting weights, and as a result of sudden movements of the hand and elbow;
• Sprain of the ligaments of the shoulder can occur with a load or a sharp wave of the hand. Damage to the ligaments can be amplified if there was something heavy in the hand: cargo or sports equipment.

Sprain Treatment at the Caucasus Medical Center

One of the leaders in the treatment of orthopedic patients in the Caucasus is the Caucasus Medical Center. The center treats sprains and offers the following services:

• Diagnosis of orthopedic injuries of varying complexity, using the most advanced diagnostic equipment. In case of any suspicion of sprain and rupture of the tendons, our doctors will carry out the most thorough examination in order to exclude the development of complications, and prescribe the appropriate treatment;
• Hospital treatment. For each patient in our medical center, the optimal type of treatment will be selected. When treated in a hospital, the recovery of patients is much faster, since they are surrounded by constant and professional medical care;
• Ambulatory treatment. For those patients whose treatment can be carried out on an outpatient basis, our doctors will draw up a treatment plan and prescribe appropriate medication. With outpatient treatment, orthopedic patients will be prescribed an appropriate exercise regimen. The treatment results will be monitored by an orthopedist;
• CMC orthopedists and traumatologists are highly qualified specialists and possess the latest techniques in the diagnosis and treatment of moderate and severe injuries.

Kinesiology Taping

Kinesiological taping is a technique for treating sprains, during which a special adhesive tourniquet is applied to the affected tendon - kinesiology tape. The high-quality tape is made of special elastic medical fabric and stretches only in one direction. When applied to the affected area, tape lifts the skin and subcutaneous fat along with the injured area. What happens at this time with injured tissue under tape? The following happens:

• Stuck tape, tightening the skin, weakens the muscles associated with the site of injury;
• The pain in the injured area is relieved, and the patient is feeling significantly better;
• The glued kinesiological tape improves blood circulation, which in turn prevents the development of edema and hematomas;
• All healing processes in this position will go much faster;
• The patient, having received significant pain relief, will be able to return to partial physical activity.

Only an orthopedist can apply a kinesiological tape correctly, after an appropriate examination! Tape adheres firmly to the skin and lasts from 2 to 3 days. The patient can shower with tape on.

Medical massage

Medical massage for sprains is another component of the treatment of such injuries. As a rule, a professional orthopedic doctor prescribes a massage to a patient no earlier than 48 hours after receiving an injury. Massaging before this time is strictly prohibited, as early massage will increase the risk of hematomas and increase swelling. It should also be remembered that the need for massage is determined only by the doctor. The standard procedure for medical massage for tendon injuries is as follows:

• First, the patient is warming up the injured area of the body. For this, warming compresses are used. It is very important to remember that warming is carried out only with the recommendation of a doctor. Warming up the injury in the first few days is strictly prohibited.
• Next, a preliminary massage is performed, during which the masseur carefully massages areas located above the injury site. This contributes to a good lymphatic outflow;
• Only after this begins the massage of the exactly injured area. A professional massage therapist will carry out the massage in such a way that it will deliver the patient a minimum of pain. Based on the doctor’s recommendations, the intensity and duration of massage sessions will increase each time.

Physiotherapy as a treatment for sprains

Nowadays, physiotherapy is actively used in the treatment of various injuries of the musculoskeletal system, including sprains. A highly qualified physiotherapist is able to treat a patient with sprains in a matter of days, who had severe pain before starting physiotherapy. As a rule, physiotherapy is prescribed only a few days after a tendon injury. There are a large number of physiotherapy methods, but the attending physician will select the desired type of physiotherapeutic treatment for each patient. Physiotherapy is prescribed during the following types of sprains:

• Foot sprain;
• Knee sprain;
• Back sprain;
• Hand sprain;
• Elbow sprain;
• Shoulder sprain.

As we see, physiotherapy is prescribed for the treatment of all types of sprains. When carrying out physiotherapy, patients note the following positive effects:

• In the sprained area, swelling noticeably decreases;
• Blood circulation and lymphatic flow of the damaged part of the body improves;
• Recovery of sprained ligaments after starting physiotherapy is significantly faster.

Magnetic Field Therapy

The most popular type of physiotherapy is magnetic therapy. Its popularity is due to the simplicity and effectiveness of this method in the treatment of sprains. During the treatment with magnetic therapy, the affected area is exposed to an alternating magnetic field. The physiotherapist adjusts the strength and intervals of the field exposure. As a rule, treatment begins with a small intensity and gradually increases during treatment. Despite the fact that magnetic field therapy is a rather old method in the treatment of many diseases of the human motor system, many patients notice a significant improvement in their condition after the first sessions.

What are the advantages of magnetic therapy?

• Providing an anti-inflammatory effect on the injured part of the body;
• Muscle tension relief;
• Pain reduction;
• Improvement of lymphatic and blood exchange processes;
• Acceleration of damaged tissue regeneration processes;
• Strengthening the patient’s immune system.

Magnetic therapy is prescribed not only as of the main method in the treatment of sprain but also as an additional treatment during the preoperative period, for patients with ruptured tendons. With this treatment, the recovery of patients after surgery is much faster.

Cryotherapy

As the name implies, cryotherapy is a method of treatment with cold. When sprain, one of the types of first aid that needs to be given to the patient is the application of cold compress. But it turns out that the cold can be not only a temporary help in alleviating the patient’s condition, but also serve as a separate type of treatment for sprains. Unlike the several other methods of treating sprains mentioned above, cryotherapy is often prescribed at the earliest stages of treatment. This is due to the beneficial effect of cold on damaged tissue in the very first days of treatment. Cryotherapy is a point of exposure of cold to the injured area. Due to this, bleeding stops, swelling subsides, and temporary anesthesia of the damaged tendon occurs. With regular exposure to cryotherapy, the desired healing effect is achieved. Cryotherapy is rarely prescribed separately. As a rule, it goes in combination with magnetic therapy. There are no contraindications for cryotherapy, provided that it is prescribed to the patient by his attending physician. For detailed information about this and other types of treatment for sprains, contact the Caucasus Medical Center. Entrust your health to the best specialists in the region.