Patients of all ages come to our physical therapy clinic because of pain due to strains and sprains. Our experienced physical therapists proudly offer drug-free relief using safe, effective, customizable, evidence-based techniques. Request an appointment at Trilogy Physical Therapy if you’d like to put your pain behind you and get back to an active lifestyle in Amherst, Williamsville, Grand Island, Kenmore, West Seneca or North Tonawanda, NY!
Risk factors for muscle strains and ligament sprains
Injuries don’t occur in a vacuum. What we mean by this is that no matter what the initial mechanism of injury is, there is almost always a combination of underlying factors contributing to the injury in the first place. This is one of the main benefits of consulting with a physical therapist for your muscle strain or ligament sprain. Instead of simply managing your pain, we help you identify and address the contributing causes, so you can avoid reinjury.
Our physical therapists frequently identify these common risk factors:
- Inadequate warmup.
- Overtraining.
- Muscle length/strength imbalances (for example, mobility restrictions and inflexibility).
- Poor body mechanics.
- Environmental factors such as slippery or uneven surfaces and poor equipment.
Signs and symptoms of muscle strains and sprains
Signs and symptoms of a strain or sprain will vary in intensity and onset, but generally include:
- Pain, usually described as dull or achy
- Soreness, stiffness and tenderness over the affected tissue
- Discoloration or bruising
- Decreased range of motion
- Swelling
- Weakness
If it’s an acute sprain or strain, most of these symptoms will come on suddenly. However, if an acute sprain or strain isn’t properly addressed with physical therapy, it may progress into a chronic, recurring issue!
How a physical therapist can help you heal from a sprain or strain
In the immediate phase following a strain or sprain, you may be advised to follow the RICE protocol — rest, ice, compression and elevation. This may suffice for treatment of mild sprains and strains. But recurring, severe, and/or chronic soft tissue injuries require more involved care.
Physical therapy is considered an effective treatment for sprains and strains of all types. Some of the most common techniques we may implement for your sprain or strain recovery include:
- Corrective exercises: These are custom-prescribed depending on your stage of injury (acute, subacute or chronic) with various parameters to achieve specific goals, including tissue healing, improved circulation, swelling reduction, pain relief, increased range of motion, and restrengthening.
- Functional mobility training: A physical therapist has a keen eye for human movement and will assess mechanics, ergonomics and sports-specific skills to identify problem areas and help you improve performance.
- Modalities such as electrical stimulation and therapeutic ultrasound: These noninvasively reduce spasms, pain, swelling and inflammation.
Are you experiencing muscular injuries?
Our physical therapy team can help you with your muscular injuries or sprains/strains. Request an appointment at one of our clinics in Amherst, Williamsville, Grand Island, Kenmore, West Seneca and North Tonawanda, NY!
Your Next Steps…
Request An Appointment
Receive A Custom Treatment Plan
Work Hard and Progress In Your Recovery
Recover & Enjoy Life Pain-Free!
