Sprain or rupture of ligaments: what is the difference

How do you know if a ligament is torn or sprained?

Ligament injuries are one of the most common reasons for limiting a person’s physical activity and ability to move freely, which significantly reduces the patient’s quality of life.
Such disorders occur mainly as a result of injury or while playing sports. Most often in a doctor's practice, ruptures and sprains of the ligaments of the ankle, shoulder, knee and phalanges occur.
Its treatment largely depends on the type of injury, so it is important to be able to distinguish between types of ligament damage in order to understand all their features and possible consequences.

Arthrotherapy

with conservative management of patients;
after surgical treatment.

Conservative treatment is sometimes the primary treatment option for patients with knee injuries. This happens not only in cases of sprains. Some patients are contraindicated for surgery. Others simply refuse it. The reasons are different: fear of surgical intervention, false belief in the possibility of ligament fusion without surgery, underestimation of the consequences of injury, etc. In any case, if a person refuses the operation, then he cannot be forced. But you can help with all available means. There are methods that can speed up the patient's recovery. Although, with a complete rupture of the ligamentous structures, they do not provide the ability to eliminate instability of the knee joint.

Arthropathy is one of the most effective methods of drug treatment. The essence of the technique is that two drugs are injected into the knee:

1. Hyaluronic acid. It is a “lubricant” for the joint. Softens friction of articular surfaces, reduces pain, slows down degenerative processes in cartilage tissue. Cartilage destruction is almost inevitable in patients who have required but not undergone surgical ligament repair. Thanks to hyaluronic acid, it is possible to delay the onset of arthrosis and reduce its severity.

2. Platelet-rich plasma. If the patient buys hyaluronate at the pharmacy, then there is no need to purchase a second drug for arthrotherapy. It is prepared from the patient's blood immediately before injection into the knee. To do this, the doctor takes blood from the cubital vein. The formed elements of blood are removed from it, leaving only platelets. Due to the removal of fluid, their concentration is several times greater than what is contained in the blood. This plasma is injected into the knee.

How it works?

Sprain or rupture of ligaments: how to determine?

Joint ligaments are a kind of association of individual connective tissue fibers. They are designed to connect the bone elements of a particular joint, strengthen it and restrain the range of motion in the joint.

Among ligament injuries, the most common are their rupture and sprain. How does a ligament tear or sprain manifest? How can you tell if a ligament rupture or sprain occurs after a joint injury?

Ligament sprain is a pathological condition that is characterized by tearing of its individual fibers, but while maintaining the continuity of the organ in anatomical terms. The reasons for this condition may be different. It occurs with sudden and strong movements that are not characteristic of a particular joint.

Ligament rupture is a traumatic condition that occurs as a result of a complete violation of its integrity due to transverse separation of connective tissue fibers. The causes of ligament rupture are the same as for sprains, but the force that acts on the joint is much greater.

At first glance, it is impossible to understand the difference between a ligament rupture and a sprain. There is no clear difference between these pathological conditions. In both cases, the integrity of the fibers is damaged. There is one exception: in case of stretching it is partial, and in case of rupture it is complete.

Causes of ligament ruptures

Ruptures of elastic and collagen fibers can occur for various reasons. The most common injuries are:

rupture of knee ligaments (athletes are at particular risk);
rupture of ankle ligaments (domestic injuries);
rupture of the ligaments of the wrist and shoulder joint (physical work, lifting weights).

The common causes of such injuries are, as a rule, awkward and unusual movements for a given joint, sharp bending or twisting.

Features of the clinical picture

Experts distinguish three main degrees of severity of joint ligament damage, the type of which determines the characteristics of the clinical picture of the pathological condition:

I degree or mild damage is the occurrence of minimal ruptures of individual fibers with the formation of a small zone of tissue damage. This condition is characterized by pain of moderate intensity and preservation of the ability to move the joint. With a mild degree of ligament rupture, there is no hematoma.
II degree (medium) or so-called incomplete ligament rupture. In practice, the injury is manifested by the development of severe pain in the area of the affected joint, pronounced swelling of the soft tissues, and a sharp limitation of movements.
III degree or severe rupture - complete separation of the fibrous elements, which is characterized by sharp, intense pain, severe swelling in the area of the injured joint, hemorrhage with the formation of a hematoma and impaired motor function. In such a joint, when performing movements, a specific click and pain occurs, as well as pathological mobility or instability.

Symptoms of these injuries may vary from patient to patient depending on the characteristics of their body. When a sprain is severe or completely torn, some people have severely limited mobility, while others can move around despite pain. This depends on the pain threshold of a particular person, his hardening and sports training.

Damage to the ligamentous apparatus: causes and symptoms

Depending on the nature of the injury, traumatology and orthopedics adhere to the following classification.

1st degree ligament damage (sprain). The fibers are subject to deformation, but remain stretched rather than torn. Moderate pain occurs. Minor swelling appears, there is no hemorrhage. There is a slight limitation of motor function.
Grade 2 ligament damage (partial rupture). Part of the tissue is damaged. The rupture causes a bruise. Attempts to undertake physical activity become painful. Some patients have mild joint instability.
Ligament rupture (3rd degree). The pain becomes pronounced and does not go away without painkillers. The bruising is profuse, the limb swells noticeably. The functioning of the limb is unstable.

In the first two cases, conservative therapy helps well. If all the fibers are torn, complete recovery without surgery does not always occur.

Partial or complete violation of integrity occurs for various reasons. More often they are overload in domestic conditions and playing sports.

In everyday life, signs of damage to ligaments, muscles, and tendons make themselves felt due to stumbling, a sharp fall, or twisting a leg or arm. For example, the ankle joint is affected when wearing high heels. The wrist is affected by a fall while walking on slippery ice.

Sports training more often ends in an unforeseen situation in the absence of preliminary warm-up before the upcoming load. For athletes, the zone varies depending on the chosen hobby: volleyball players and tennis players are affected by the shoulder, and speed skaters are affected by the ankle. In weightlifting, the target is the ligamentous-tendon apparatus in the upper part of the body.

Predisposing factors are excess weight, a sedentary lifestyle, and previous ligament and tendon injuries. In the gym, the problem appears due to excessive stress, in everyday life as a result of prolonged performance of labor-intensive actions.

Initial signs appear immediately. Depending on the specific case, there are different complaints:

acute pain in the affected area;
skin redness;
swelling, edema;
hemorrhage, presence of hematoma;
violation of joint movement.

The complaints are in many ways similar to various diseases of the musculoskeletal system, therefore, for an accurate diagnosis, consultation with a traumatologist is necessary.

Without timely medical intervention, the patient exposes himself to dangerous complications. Many people develop inflammation, which requires longer and more expensive treatment. When tissue ruptures, it does not heal properly. This is manifested by periodic pain, disturbances in movement and gait.

First aid

If the ligaments of a joint are damaged, first aid must be provided immediately after the incident, which will prevent the development of complications of the injury and help shorten the recovery period.

The algorithm for providing first aid for such violations is as follows:

ensuring complete rest and absolute immobility of the damaged area, which will prevent further injury to the joint tissues;
applying ice to the sore spot to reduce swelling and stop internal bleeding;
fixing the damaged joint by applying a tight bandage using an elastic bandage or other available materials;
placing the injured limb above the level of the body, which reduces the manifestations of hematoma and tissue swelling.

In case of severe pain, it is necessary to take painkillers. After providing first aid, a patient with a joint ligament injury must be transported to a medical facility for more detailed diagnosis and qualified treatment of the injury.

Dislocation. Symptoms, features, treatment

A dislocation is an injury to a joint that causes displacement of its articular parts. Usually, when a dislocation occurs, the joint capsule is also damaged. Such injuries are provoked by strong blows, falls, or any sudden movements in an unnatural amplitude. There are also combined injuries called fracture-dislocations. With such forms of damage, the joint capsule ruptures and the articulating parts of the joints are torn. There is unbearable pain and springy resistance. A dislocated limb is accompanied by the following symptoms:

External joint deformation;
Unnatural position of the injured limb;
Presence of pain;
The joint loses its functionality;
Inability to independently return the joint to its natural position.

In the case of a dislocation, after diagnosis, doctors usually straighten the joint, after which it is securely mobilized using a plaster cast or an orthosis, which you can buy on the website of the Orthosalon online store or in the Medtechnika Orthosalon chain of stores in your city.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of ligament damage begins with a detailed medical examination of the patient, collection of complaints and medical history, as well as palpation of the affected area. To make a final diagnosis, the patient is prescribed a series of examinations that allow one to assess the condition of the internal structures of the joint, namely:

X-ray examination (as a rule, X-rays are taken in two projections);
ultrasound examination of the joint condition;
magnetic resonance imaging, which is prescribed in the most difficult cases in terms of diagnosis and is the most informative method for diagnosing traumatic lesions of bone joints.

The answer to the question whether a patient has a sprain or rupture of a joint ligament can only be given by a professional doctor, based on data from an objective examination of the affected area, as well as on the results of additional diagnostic methods for the affected area.

Injury. Symptoms, features, treatment

Bruises are caused by strong blows or falls with an unsuccessful landing. Against the background of a bruise, the patient may feel pain, swelling appears, bruising is possible, and the joint itself ceases to function normally. The main symptoms that indicate a bruise include:

Pain in the injured area;
Swelling;
Hematomas or hemorrhages;
Partial impairment of motor activity of the joint.

If you are able to lean at least a little on the injured limb, most likely the injury you have suffered is a bruise. To make an accurate diagnosis, you need to consult a specialist and undergo diagnostics. In any case, you will definitely need a bandage for a bruise. Bandages have a good stabilizing effect so that the injured limb is maximally immobilized and protected from unnecessary stress. Due to the well-thought-out fixation system, the bandage fits well on the joint and provides a slight compression effect, preventing the formation or development of edema. Bandages from the French brand Thuasne provide reliable fixation and help the patient get rid of excess load on the injured limb during the rehabilitation period.

Treatment of bruises boils down to the fact that for the first time after the injury, the patient must remain in bed, use cold compresses, painkillers, if necessary, and a bandage for fixation.

Treatment of torn ligaments in the leg

Treatment of torn ligaments in the leg should be carried out by specialists. This is a serious illness that, if left untreated, can have serious consequences.

Our doctors begin treatment of torn ligaments in the leg with an accurate and high-quality diagnosis. Without diagnostic measures, it is impossible to accurately determine the nature of ligament damage and the amount of necessary treatment. Only after diagnostic procedures do we begin the treatment itself. We use only proven, effective and high-quality techniques to treat torn ligaments. Typically, treatment for torn ligaments includes both conservative and surgical treatment. However, surgical treatment in our clinic has begun to be successfully replaced by a minimally invasive surgical intervention called arthroscopy. This method allows you to restore damaged ligaments by making only small incisions in healthy skin. Moreover, the treatment is absolutely safe, completely painless, and most importantly, leads to complete restoration of the ligaments in the shortest possible time.

Treatment of torn ligaments in the leg using arthroscopy has long been used by our specialists. This method has many advantages over other methods and allows the patient to quickly get back on his feet and forget about the disease forever. An important point in such treatment is that arthroscopy should be carried out under the supervision of a highly qualified physician. And you don’t have to worry about this at all! After all, it is precisely such professionals, qualified specialists who work in our clinic.

In the treatment of torn ligaments in the leg, the recovery period is also important . Our doctors explain to each patient the need and correctness of special physical exercises to develop the joint and ligaments after immobilization. If you follow all the doctor’s recommendations and follow the prescription sheet, we guarantee you a complete recovery and restoration of damaged ligaments! Remember, treatment will be most effective if it is started in a timely manner.

Video reviews about the operation to repair torn ligaments in our center

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