Sprain in children

Sprain in children is the most common trauma limiting movement. Consider the causes of pathology, ways to prevent and treat it.

Ligaments perform the function of strengthening the joints. Despite its strength, with increased loads or sudden movements, the ligaments undergo stretching and tearing, that is, various types of damage. The ligaments consist of blood vessels and nerve fibers, which is why pain and swelling occur when stretching. Stretching can cause partial or complete tearing.

Trauma of ligaments in children appears due to increased activity. And this is not surprising, since only the child begins to crawl and walk, there are various injuries, including stretching. Most often, children are diagnosed with injuries in the elbow, ankle or knee joints.

The causes of sprain in the baby

The causes of sprain in children are associated with increased mechanical stress, for example, with sudden movements of the joints. Injuries arise due to the excess of the normal amplitude of motion, which does not correspond to the physiological one. Proceeding from this, it can be said that stretching is the excessive tension and rupture of individual fibers. Pathology can occur in one, that and several ligaments at once. Severe injuries lead not only to sprains, but also to full gusts of ligaments, which entails their traumatic detachment from the bone.

The main causes of sprain in children - these are various injuries, sudden movements, dislocations, falls and much more. All the above reasons lead to the fact that the joint leaves the normal position and the ligament supporting it due to a heavy load is stretched and torn. The whole process causes severe acute pain in the child. But in some cases, the baby does not feel any discomfort and continues to move further, injuring the ligaments even more. After several hours in the area of damage there is increased soreness, swelling and disrupted the function of the joint.

There are several degrees of sprain, consider them:

1. A small area of the ligament was damaged. In this case, for complete recovery the child should observe peace and not further injure the joint.
2. Partial rupture of the ligament causes swelling, severe acute pain, bruises and bruises may appear.
3. The last stage is a complete rupture of the ligament, which is accompanied by severe pain and swelling. If the pathology has arisen in the ankle, the child can not step on the injured limb. As a rule, it is this joint that is prone to frequent dislocations and sprains.

Symptoms of sprains in a child

Symptoms of sprains in children cause a number of painful sensations. Some time after the injury, there may be a violation of the joint function. But a special danger is painless stretching, as it entails further injury to the ligaments and joint. That is, the main symptom of stretching is acute pain. In this case, the task of parents to calm the baby and immobilize the injured limb. If the swelling of the tissues begins to increase after a time, then medical help is needed.

• Stretching the ligaments of the knee, foot or shin causes not only pain, but also makes it impossible to move the limb. If the ligaments of the cervical spine are injured, the child can not move his head, complaints about severe headaches and numbness of the fingers are possible.
• In place of stretching there is swelling. Swelling may appear right after the injury or gradually increase.
• After a while, swelling appears on the hematoma, usually a couple of hours after the injury. General malaises are possible, and in the area of edema and hematoma, a local increase in temperature.

If the sprain is moderate, then it is necessary to spare the injured joint. If the ligament is completely ruptured, then the pathological mobility of the joint is observed. In this case, it is necessary to immobilize and impose gypsum or tires for 10-20 days. Very often, the symptoms of stretching are confused with the symptoms of a dislocation and even fracture. There are a number of features that make it possible to differentiate the stretch from dislocation and fracture, consider them:

• When dislocation it is impossible to move the joint, there is a lot of pain. If a dislocation of the hand has occurred, the limb may shorten or on the contrary lengthen. When stretching, such a symptom does not arise, the child complains of pain, swelling and bruises.
• Fracture causes damage to the integrity of bone tissue, but fractures in children are very rare. With a fracture, as with stretching, severe pain occurs, which is intensified when trying to move the joint, as well as swelling.

Sprain of ankle ligaments in a child

Stretching of the ankle ligaments in a child occurs very rarely, because the joint ligaments of the child are flexible and flexible. But stretching can occur as a result of mechanical damage. If a similar pathology is diagnosed in adolescents, then the reason may be in wearing uncomfortable shoes.

Sprain stretching in children of children can occur with high sports loads on joints, congenital foot pathologies, obesity, various kinds of trauma and some diseases (arthritis, arthrosis, metabolic disorders, defects of bones and joints). All this leads to the fact that the leg when walking is tucked, injuring the ankle joint.

The outcome of the pathology depends on the effectiveness of treatment and the first medical aid provided. The first thing to do is to maximally free the damaged joint from the load and apply a thorn or a fixing bandage. To the place of stretching, it is best to apply ice or a cooling compress, this will reduce pain and swelling. If the child has a difficult stretch, then medical help and taking painkillers will be required.

Stretch of the ligament of the foot in the child

The stretching of the ligament of the foot in the child is very rare, as in the case of injuries and falls, the ankle joint and Achilles tendon are subjected to stretching. But in the foot there are several joints of bones that have a tendon capsule and consist of ligaments, due to which they are attached to the muscles. As a rule, stretching occurs in the ligaments of the subtalar, metatarsal, heel-carious and interphalangeal joints. All these elements are responsible for foot supination when walking, jumping, running and other movements.

Stretch of the ligament of the foot in children occurs because of unusual and pathological positions of the foot in the process of movement. When wearing the wrong shoes (from the point of orthopedics), training in the wrong shoes, flat feet and clubfoot, with excessive body weight or excessive strain of the foot muscles during physical activity. Very often injuries in children occur because of attempts to walk on socks, stretching the foot and placing it on the outer or inner rib.

Symptoms of sprains of the foot:

• Severe pain without restriction of mobility in the joint region.
• The pathology of the ligament of the foot can be associated with traumatization of the ankle. This is a fairly common injury, which captures the entire major joint, which is responsible for the mobility of the foot.
• If there is a strong rupture of the ligament, then there is a slight swelling and bruises.

In any case, if the foot is traumatized, the child should immediately seek medical help. It is very important before starting treatment to make sure there are no more serious injuries that require surgical intervention. The task of doctors is to differentiate the stretching from fractures and cracks. Treatment begins with the immobilization of the injured limb. For these purposes, tires that fix bandages or gypsum are used.

The recovery period takes 5-10 days. During this time painful sensations, swelling completely disappear and hematomas dissolve. But on this treatment should not be stopped, it is necessary to observe limited physical activity and use a fixing slide. To accelerate the process of rehabilitation, a child may be prescribed therapeutic massage, physiotherapy or reflexology.

Sprain of the child's ligaments

The stretching of the ligaments of the hand in the child is common. And this is not surprising, because as a result of various injuries and falls, not only muscles, ligaments or joints can be damaged, but also bones of the hand. Brushes and wrists consist of ligaments, tendons and many small bones. Each of the structures performs certain functions and it is thanks to the well-coordinated work of the bone-ligament apparatus that the brushes can perform various movements.

When the ligaments are stretched on the arm, the supporting function that the ligaments perform is broken. The child complains of acute pain, there is swelling and redness of the hand. The main causes of stretching in children are sharp movements, mechanical injuries, falls. As a rule, ligaments are damaged due to increased activity of children. Stretch marks look standard for this type of injury. First of all, this limitation of movements in the damaged joint, pain, swelling. If there was a complete rupture of the ligament, the joint begins to move without restrictions.

At the first symptoms of sprain of the ligament in the child's hand, the parents must immobilize the injured limb. For these purposes, an elastic bandage or any fixative bandage is suitable. To relieve pain and prevent swelling, it is better to apply a cold compress to the damaged area. But stretching should not end with self-medication, as it is possible that the injury is serious and the child will need medical help.

There are a number of symptoms that indicate that the stretching of the arm should be treated by a physician:

• Acute long pain in the damaged joint (more than 3-5 days), causing limitations of its movement.
• There is general weakness and dizziness.
• Skin over the joint reddened and a local increase in temperature was noted.

At a stretching of a serious degree treatment passes in conditions of a hospital. The child is waiting for surgical intervention and fixing the joint with gypsum. If several ligaments are broken, the duration of treatment can be several months. If the tension is mild or moderate, then the recovery period lasts 10-15 days. The doctor prescribes the child anti-inflammatory ointments to relieve swelling and pain. For a speedy recovery can be used warming physiotherapy and, of course, therapeutic gymnastics.

Sprain of neck ligaments in children

Stretch of the ligament of the neck in children is not common, but if this happens, it causes terrible panic in the parents. And this has an explanation, since the child begins to cry from severe pain at the slightest attempts to turn his head, and the neck becomes immovable. The cervical spine consists of vertebrae (7 pieces), which perform a protective function, protecting the spinal cord from injuries and injuries. Since even the slightest pressure can lead to paralysis, and a fall or sudden movement can cause stretching.

The main causes of neck ligament in children are mobile sports, uncomfortable posture during sleep, physical activity and various kinds of trauma, accidents. Since stretching the ligaments of the neck can occur in children of any age, parents should know the main symptomatology of the pathology, since not all children can clearly explain what they are hurting:

• Puffiness in the neck and pain.
• Lethargy, loss of mobility.
• Unnatural position of the head.
• Immediately after getting injured, loss of consciousness is possible.

If the above symptoms appear, seek medical help immediately. In order to reduce the pain syndrome, you can give the child tablets Ibuprofen or Paracetamol. It is recommended to apply a cold compress to the affected area, but not longer than for 20 minutes. The doctor will give the child warm baths and a relaxing massage to restore the ligaments. As a rule, the pain lasts about three days.

Diagnosis of sprain in a child

Diagnosis of sprains in a child begins with an anamnesis. The doctor asks the parents and the baby about the cause of the distension and the location of the painful sensations. Stretched ligaments and muscles must necessarily return to normal. If this is not done, then on the surface of the muscle tissue there are scars that interfere with the normal operation of the joint or organ.

For the examination, the palpation method and X-ray diagnostics are used. Depending on the site of stretching, magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound can be used.

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Treatment of sprains in a child

Treatment of sprains in the child is based on the location of the injury. Timely first aid will prevent the development of severe consequences and facilitate further treatment. That's why parents should know about the methods of providing first aid.

• After injury, the injured limb must be immobilized, if there is a stretching of the ligaments of the neck, it is better for the child to lay and ensure immobility.
• To the place of stretching, apply ice or cold compress to eliminate puffiness and pain.
• On the damaged joint, a fixative bandage is applied (for the ankle joint, feet and hands).
• For severe pain, the child is recommended to give an anesthetic, according to the age-related dosage and seek medical help.

Such first aid should be provided at any degree of stretching. If a child has a second or third degree stretch for treatment, physiotherapy is used. Therapy can be done at any clinic according to the doctor's prescription. As soon as swelling comes, the child needs to perform a special massage and a set of exercises for early recovery. Physiotherapy procedures depend on the child's age and the nature of the lesions. With severe sprain, when anomalous joint mobility occurs, a tire or gypsum application is required. In this case, the baby is prescribed ointments with anti-inflammatory components and pain medications.

Prevention of sprains in children

Prophylaxis of sprain in the child's ligaments is to maintain maximum safety in sports, mobile games and any kind of physical activity. If the baby has already suffered a sprain, then the parents should remember the age restrictions while playing sports. This applies to severe stretching. It is mandatory to perform a complex of restorative and preventive exercises that will strengthen the osteoarticular system of the child.

Do not forget about the diet. In the diet of the baby should be a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits, meat and dairy products. It will not be superfluous to receive vitamin and mineral complexes to maintain a normal level of calcium in the body.

Prognosis of ligament in a child

The prognosis of sprains in a child depends on the nature of the trauma and its localization. With untimely medical care, serious complications are possible. So, a strong stretching leads to damage to the tendons and muscles. A complete rupture of the ligament can lead to fractures and fractures of the bones, and regular stretches - to the weakening of the joints. But most often the prognosis is favorable, as with proper treatment, the child's body quickly recovers from the injuries.

Sprain of ligaments in children occurs at any age. Moving games, playing sports and various types of mechanical damage can cause injury. But with timely first aid and restorative measures, the health of ligaments and joints can be fully restored, without any consequences.