Sprain, Strain and Fracture

What is the difference between a sprain, a strain and a fracture?

Strain: A strain is a muscle that is stretched too much.

Sprain: Sprains happen when you hurt your muscle and the ligaments, tendons, or the soft tissues around your joints (elbows, ankles, knees, fingers, and toes.)

Fracture: A fracture is a broken bone.

All of these can cause pain and swelling. Sometimes it is hard to tell what kind of injury you have at first. You may have all 3 problems. Strains and sprains that are not too bad can be treated at home, but fractures or really bad sprains need to be seen by a doctor.

Home Treatment: Remember RICE Rest Ice Compression Elevation

Rest:

• Do not put any weight on the injured joint for 24 to 48 hours.
• Use crutches so you will not have to walk on your injured knee or ankle.
• You could support a hurt wrist, elbow, or shoulder with a sling.
• If you have a hurt toe or finger you could tape it to the one next to it. Place padding between the two fingers/toes you are taping together.

Ice:

• Cold helps decrease pain and helps stop swelling, which leads to better healing. You should use cold until the swelling goes down.
• Put cold packs or ice on the injured area as soon as you hurt yourself. This will help stop the swelling.
• For the first 3 days, put ice on for 10 min every hour then for 15-20 min 3 times per day.
• Use ice after a long activity or heavy exercise. Always keep a damp cloth between your skin and the ice.
• Never fall asleep with the ice on.
• Some different ways to put cold on are:
• Freeze a wet towel (squeeze the extra water out of it). Fold the towel and put it in the freezer for 15min. Put the towel on the injured area.
• Put about a pound of ice in a bag with enough water cover the ice and squeeze the air out of the bag. Wrap the ice in a wet towel and put it over your injured part. Never put the ice directly on your skin.
• Moisten a plastic covered disposable diaper, put in the freezer for about one hour, and then use it as a cold pack. The diaper can be formed to fit the injured area - and it won't drip when it starts to thaw. Keep an extra diaper in the freezer as a replacement.

Compression:

• Wrap the hurt area with an elastic bandage. Try not to wrap it too tight.
• If the wrap gets too tight, loosen the bandage.
• Even if the area feels better, you still need to rest it for 24-48 hours.

Elevation:

• To help stop the swelling, try to keep the injured part up above your heart when you are putting ice on.
• When you are sitting or lying down, keep your injured part raised up.

It is undecided whether heat helps or not. If you do use it, make sure that it is not too warm.

Return to the Emergency Department IF:

• A sprain does not get any better after 4 days.
• If the part below your injured limb (arm, hand, leg, and foot) is white, cold, or you cannot feel it (numb).