The Link Between Sprains and Joint Pain

Sprains and strains are often mistaken for each other, but these are two different conditions that cause pain in different areas of your body. While strains cause muscle pain, sprains contribute to joint pain.

As a board-certified interventional pain medicine specialist, Dr. Mikael Sarij is no stranger to treating ankle sprains here at Integrated Spine And Pain Care. Below, Dr. Sarij explains the link between sprains and joint pain 一 and the potential treatments that alleviate joint pain.

What is a sprain?

Before we make the connection between sprains and joint pain, let’s first take a closer look at sprains and how they occur. Your ligaments are bands of fibrous tissue that connect two bones together in your joints, and even though these bands are tough, they can overstretch or even tear. When this happens it’s called a sprain 一 not to be confused with a strain which is an overstretched muscle or tendon. Sprains can happen in your wrist, knee, and ankle.

The link between sprains and joint pain

Because your ligaments connect two bones in a joint, it makes sense that a torn or overstretched ligament would contribute to joint pain. The severity of your joint pain depends on the severity of ligament damage. Sprains are categorized by grades:

• Grade 1 is a minimal injury that causes mild joint pain.
• Grade 2 includes a partial tear and is accompanied by prolonged joint pain and inflammation.
• Grade 3 is a complete tear in your ligament, causes severe joint pain, and can contribute to joint instability.

When your ligaments overstretch or tear away from your bone, it causes intense pain, bruising, swelling, and inflammation. It can also greatly reduce the range of motion in your joint. In the case of a sprained ankle, your ankle might feel unstable, and you might not be able to put weight on it. You might have even heard a pop when the ligament tore.

Finding relief from painful sprains

Finding relief from joint pain related to sprain requires swift medical care, starting with the RICE protocol. Immediately after a sprain, you can follow the first aid steps for sprains:

• Rest (avoid putting weight on your ankle)
• Ice (many first aid kits have one-time-use ice packs
• Compression
• Elevate the injured joint above heart level

In addition to following the RICE protocol, it’s important to seek medical intervention to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other conditions such as fractures. Once the sprain is confirmed, Dr. Sarij develops individualized treatment plans based on which joint is injured and what grade sprain you sustained. In addition to the RICE protocol, other potential treatments include:

• Ankle immobilization
• A personalized exercise program to strengthen your ankle and improve your range of motion
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections to promote healing
• Stem cell therapy

To learn more about your treatment options or to make an appointment with Dr. Sarij, call the Integrated Spine And Pain Care location of your choice 一 Farmingdale or Deer Park, New York 一 and get started on your path to relief.