Sprained leg ligament

A sprained leg is one of the most common injuries of the musculoskeletal system.

Often, stretching of ligaments and their complete and partial rupture is observed in people involved in sports, as well as in women who prefer high-heeled shoes (the ankle joint suffers). The load on this joint increases due to the fact that it bears the load of the entire weight of the person. A large percentage of ankle injuries occur during movement, when the heel twists. In addition to the ligaments of the lower leg and foot, the knee ligaments - the outer and lateral group - suffer in the process of such an injury.

The first symptoms of a sprain are pain in the joint, swelling, and hematoma. The pain only increases with movement, and with more complex ligament injuries, independent movement is impossible. If a sprain is accompanied by a crunch or click, this indicates a serious injury. This may be a complete or partial ligament rupture, or a bone fracture. The first thing you can do in such a situation is to immobilize the limb and apply cold to the sprain, and then fix the joint with a special bandage.

If, after a short time from the moment of injury, swelling and pain increase, and movement in the joint is even more limited, then you need to seek help from a doctor.

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Causes of sprained ligaments

The causes of ligament sprains can be different. The mechanism of injury is based on increased stretching of the deep layer of connective tissue. In those places where the ligaments are the thinnest and weakest, stretching and rupture occur. With the help of ligaments, muscles are attached to bone formations, and bone articular processes are also connected. The shoulder, ankle, knee ligaments and finger ligaments are most often subject to stretching.

Ligament sprains occur mainly during a twisting movement of a semi-bent joint. Overstretching and partial rupture of the ankle ligaments are very common in athletes involved in basketball and football. In weightlifting (powerlifting, bodybuilding), sprains and ruptures of the ligaments are also common, especially when lifting weights. In this position, the entire load falls on the knee, which is fraught with injury. The only way to prevent this is to warm up at the proper level and bandage the knee joint, as well as smooth squats with a load.

First aid for a sprain is immobilization and cold to the injury site. If the moment of injury was accompanied by a crunch or crackle, and during the day the swelling only increases, the pain increases, then you need to go to the emergency room as soon as possible.

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Symptoms of a sprained ligament

Symptoms of a sprain include swelling in the area of the injury, bleeding, pain, and limited range of motion. There are three grades of sprains, depending on the extent of damage to the tendon.

At the first degree of stretching, a small part of the fibers is damaged, but the general structure and integrity are preserved, there is no hematoma at the site of injury. The site of injury is slightly edematous, a slight swelling remains, the pain syndrome is weakly expressed. This is the mildest form of injury, recovery usually takes no more than 2 weeks.

At the second degree of stretching, more fibers and the joint capsule are damaged. A hematoma appears and the damaged joint swells, movement in it is limited and accompanied by pain. When the joint capsule is damaged, pathological mobility in the joint articulation is recorded. Recovery with this type of damage occurs in 4-6 weeks.

At the third degree of sprain, a complete rupture of the ligaments occurs. At the site of injury, there is severe swelling, subcutaneous hematomas, the joint is not stable (pathological mobility is recorded), pain at the site of injury is pronounced. Recovery takes 6-8 weeks, without medical intervention, recovery does not always occur.

If you have a sprained ligament, it is best to see a doctor to prevent complications and eliminate the possibility of rupture of nerve fibers.

Sprained Toes

Sprains of the ligaments of the toes are quite common, as are sprains of the ankle and knee. Most often, the ligaments of the toes are injured by:

• sports activities;
• active entertainment;
• overvoltage and stress during work.

There is a high risk of sprains in those who play sports that involve jumping or frequently changing the direction of joint movement (this occurs in football players, basketball players, choreographers, gymnasts). In childhood, sprains and ruptures are especially dangerous, as they are accompanied by partial damage to the bone growth plate.

Sprained toes as an independent and combined injury also occurs in old age. This is preceded by the development of osteopenia and muscle weakness. In general, injuries of this nature do not require specific treatment and surgery, and recovery requires 2-3 weeks, depending on age. The foot should be immobilized during rehabilitation and cold should be applied at first to relieve swelling and reduce pain. In the future, you can use special ointments - Ibuprofen, Deep Relief, Troxevasin, etc. Children are an exception - to exclude the possibility of a growth plate defect and further pathologies associated with it, you need to show the child to a doctor.

Severe sprain of the ligaments in the leg

A severe sprain of the ligaments on the leg is manifested by pain at the site of injury, increasing swelling, hematoma and redness. Movement in the joint is impossible due to severe pain, lameness appears. At the second-third degree of sprain, damage to the tendons is more severe, in addition to partial and complete rupture of the tendons, bone tissue at the site of their attachment is also damaged.

The first thing to do when you have a sprain is to limit any movement of the limb. It is best to lie down and put your leg in an elevated position.

You need to apply something cold to the site of injury - this will help reduce swelling and relieve pain a little.

If you heard a cracking or crunching sound at the time of injury, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible to rule out the possibility of damage to the joint capsule, ligament rupture, partial detachment of bone tissue, and fracture. Injuries of this nature require surgical intervention and long-term recovery.

A severe sprain of the ligaments on the leg cannot be treated by self-treatment and requires medical intervention. Otherwise, refusal of treatment or violation of the doctor's instructions is fraught with protracted rehabilitation and complications from the musculoskeletal system.

Big toe sprain

A sprained big toe occurs when the big toe is bent excessively dorsally or plantarly. Externally, a sprained ligament is manifested by swelling of the first metatarsophalangeal joint, pain in it when moving, trying to step on the foot or stand on tiptoe.

Stretching of the tendons of the big toe is combined with stretching and rupture of the plantar and dorsal ligaments, damage to the metatarsus, the base of the phalanx of the big toe, and sesamoid bones.

With a severe sprain of the big toe, the pain is diffuse, spreads to the entire foot, swelling and hematoma are noticeable at the site of injury, moving the toe is very painful, and it is impossible to step on the foot completely. To diagnose complications with such an injury (rupture of tendons, avulsion fractures of the bone tissue of the phalanges and metatarsus), you need to take an X-ray or MRI. Treatment in severe cases is combined - complete rest, cold to the site of injury, pain-relieving ointments and ointments that relieve swelling are prescribed. A bandage is also necessarily applied to the damaged joint or special elastic fixators are used. In case of a complete rupture of the ligaments and an avulsion fracture, a plaster splint is applied to the limb for a period of 7-10 days with further rehabilitation, including massage, exercise therapy and physiotherapy.

Diagnosis of sprained ligaments on the leg

Diagnosis of a sprained leg is based mainly on the data of examination and questioning the patient - severe pain in the area of the joint articulation, limited movement, swelling, hematoma in the joint area already indicates a sprained tendon. In case of severe swelling and hematoma in the joint area, limited movement, it is necessary to take an X-ray of the limb. If, according to the victim, the moment of injury was accompanied by a crack or crunch, X-ray control is mandatory. According to the X-ray data, it is possible to assess the degree of damage, confirm or refute a rupture of the ligaments and joint capsule, a tear of bone tissue particles along with tendons, a crack or bone fracture. It is especially important in the process of clarifying the diagnosis to exclude the possibility of a rupture of nerve tissue, which in the future can cause chronic pain or impaired sensitivity of the limb.

Based on the examination, X-ray or MRI data, the doctor makes a conclusion and prescribes further treatment. In the case of first or second degree sprains, treatment is conservative, mainly based on ensuring rest for the injured limb. In severe cases of ligament ruptures, an operation is performed to suture the torn tendon, the limb is fixed with a plaster splint.

Treatment of sprained ligaments on the leg

Treatment of a sprained leg depends on the degree of damage to the tendons. In case of first-second degree damage, medical intervention is not required. It is enough to simply provide the most favorable conditions - immobilize the limb in an elevated position, apply a cold compress or ice to the joint, fix the joint with a tight bandage or a special bandage-fixator. To relieve pain and swelling, rub painkillers and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs into the damaged area three times a day - Troxevasin, Lyoton, Ibuprofen, Indovazin, heparin ointment. In no case should you massage the damaged joint or do warming compresses and baths in the first days after receiving an injury!

In case of third-degree sprains, which are accompanied by partial or complete rupture of tendon fibers, as well as partial rupture of bone tissue, medical intervention is required. In case of complete rupture of ligaments, surgical treatment is indicated, including suturing of torn fibers, articular connective capsule. After restoration of ligament integrity, the affected limb is immobilized with a plaster cast (plaster splint). This is necessary to maintain the physiological position of the leg and speedy healing. After removing the plaster, the sprain is treated as in the first and second degrees. In addition, for further positive dynamics of the rehabilitation process, one should not neglect thermal procedures and a set of physical exercises. Full restoration of motor activity occurs in 6-8 weeks.

Prevention of sprained ligaments on the leg

Prevention of sprains on the leg consists of following simple rules. You can prevent sprains and ligament ruptures if:

• When playing sports, wear special shoes that provide sufficient support for the foot and ankle, and use elastic knee pads.
• If not completely, then partially give up uncomfortable high-heeled shoes that disrupt the physiological position of the foot.
• Control your weight. Excess kilograms put a lot of strain on your joints, which increases the risk of injury.
• Before strength training, it is essential to warm up thoroughly to warm up the muscles and ligaments before intense exercise.

To prevent ankle sprains, it is enough to do simple exercises several times a week to increase the elasticity of muscles and tendons. These include rotating the toe inward and outward, pulling the toe toward and away from you, walking around the room on your toes and heels. Also, to maintain the tone of the muscles of the foot and ankle, calf muscles, jumping rope or simply jumping in place, jumping with a lunge forward and backward are good.

But do not forget that the prevention of sprains on the leg should not be too intense, a sudden transition to a high load can cause injuries. It is better to gradually increase the load and training time in order to gradually strengthen the muscles without damaging the ligaments.

Prognosis for a sprained ankle

The prognosis for a sprained leg is generally favorable, but it depends on how the victim follows the doctor's instructions. With a first-second degree sprain and with all treatment points, full recovery occurs in 2-4 weeks. With timely treatment, even with a third degree sprain, motor function is fully restored. If within 48 hours after the injury the swelling and hematoma only increase, and the pain bothers even at rest, you should immediately seek help from a traumatologist.

Neglect of medical care significantly prolongs the rehabilitation period for ligament ruptures - the restoration of motor activity can take 6-10 months, in addition, ligament ruptures are often accompanied by a rupture of the tendon capsule of the joint, partial rupture of bone tissue and rupture of nerve fibers. Nerve damage is especially dangerous - in the future, this leads to chronic pain, loss of sensitivity or hypotrophy and "drying out" of adjacent tissues. With timely detection and concomitant treatment, it is possible to exclude the development of such dangerous complications and speed up the restoration of normal activity after a sprained leg.