Sprains, Strains And Tears – Treatment & Relief Ireland
We Treat Sprains, Strains, And Tears In Dublin, Ireland
We know sprains, strains, and tears can be painful, and confusing, what is the difference? And how can you tell if you have a sprain or a strain? These are some of the questions I will answer in this blog.
That is why Dublin Chiropractic & Physiotherapy offers a variety of treatments to help relieve pain, swelling, and reduced range of motion associated with sprains, strains, and tears.
Our treatment options include physiotherapy, chiropractic care, exercise therapy, manual therapy, laser therapy and joint traction.
If you think you might have or have been diagnosed by your doctor with, a ligament sprain, like an ankle sprain, or muscle strain or tear, like a hamstring, groin, or rotator cuff tear – call us to start your rehabilitation with Dublin Chiropractic & Physiotherapy or book your consultation online to see one of our physiotherapists.
We are located in Monkstown in Dublin, Ireland.
What Is The Difference Between A Sprain And A Strain And A Tear?
First of all, they are all soft-tissue injuries. Soft tissues include all supportive or supporting tissues in the body – muscles, ligaments, tendons, blood vessels, fat, nerves, and many more.
- A sprain is a pulled or stretched or torn ligament (i.e an ankle sprain or ACL tear). A sprain can also be called a ligament tear.
- A strain is a pulled or stretched or torn muscle or tendon (i.e a hamstring tear).
- A tear is another term for a strain and can be used interchangeably.
Grading And Severity of Sprains, Strains, And Tears
The simplest way to define the severity of a sprain or tear is into the following three grades:
- Grade I: Local inflammation but no significant tissue damage.
- Grade II: Local inflammation with significant tissue damage or partial tear, and reduced strength.
- Grade III: Local inflammation with a with complete tear, and complete loss of function.
Symptoms of A Sprain, Strain, And Tear
The symptoms of a muscle strain/tear or ligament sprain are quite similar, so it can be difficult to determine if your injury is a tear or sprain.
- Significant pain.
- Swelling in the injured tissue, and redness in the skin.
- Bruising that develops within a few hours due to bleeding under the skin around an injury site.
- Loss of function.
- Reduced range of motion.
The location of the injury can give you an idea if it is a muscle or ligament injury. Our physiotherapists will perform a thorough assessment to establish the severity of your injury and if it is a ligament or muscle injury.
How We Treat A Soft-Tissue Injury At Dublin Chiropractic & Physiotherapy
At Dublin Chiropractic & Physiotherapy our team uses a range of treatment options.
- Physical therapy Care.
- Chiropractic Care.
- Exercise Therapy.
- Laser Therapy.
- Joint Traction.
- Manual Therapy.
Physical therapy Care And Health Promote
A physical therapy-led rehabilitation program is central to recovery from these injuries. Our physiotherapists use a combination of manual therapy and a graded exercise program to ease pain and swelling and support your recovery.
Exercise Therapy
Exercise therapy or a graded-loading program, aims to reduce pain, improve range of motion and gradually build the strength and load tolerance of the injured ligament, tendon or muscle. Tissues adapt to the load placed on them.
Laser Therapy
Laser therapy uses light applied to the skin over the injured area. The evidence for it in sprains and strains is limited, and results vary.
Our clients also find the warmth from the laser relaxing and soothing.
Joint Traction
Joint traction gently draws the joint surfaces apart. Some people find it eases stiffness.
Manual Therapy
Manual therapy may help reduce pain and muscle spasm after an injury.
Manual therapy is a gentle type of treatment that uses slow, sustained pressure on soft tissue.
Rehabilitation Timeline For Sprains And Tears
How long does it take to recover from a sprain or strain? This is a question I get a lot in the clinic and it is understandable that you would like to know. The recovery timeline depends on a number of factors – the severity of the injury, your general condition at the time of the injury, sleep quality during recovery, and how soon you started physical therapy after the injury.
In general – recovery from this kind of injury can range from four to six weeks. But rehabilitation to regain full strength can range from 12 to 16 weeks (or three to four months).
Unfortunately, it is hard to determine a defined timeline – because everyone is different, and how our body’s systems work to heal damaged tissue differs a lot from person to person.
Book Your Appointment At Dublin Chiropractic & Physiotherapy
We are Dublin Chiropractic & Physiotherapy, a chiropractic and physiotherapy clinic in Monkstown, Co. Dublin.
Request An Appointment At Dublin Chiropractic & Physiotherapy Today!
Visit us in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin Ireland
Our physical therapy & other services extend throughout Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown including Blackrock, Cherrywood, Stillorgan, Rathfarnham, Shankill, Cabinteely, Foxrock, Clonskeagh, and Killiney.
Our office is located just outside of the center of Dun Laoghaire and is between Deansgrange and Monkstown. You can find our building entrance on Lower Mounttown Road, across from Woodland Park. We are a 30-second walk from Dublin Bus stop 2031 which is outside of Mccormick’s Pub.
References
[1] https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/understanding-sprains-strains#1
[2] https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases–conditions/sprains-strains-and-other-soft-tissue-injuries/
[3] https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/soft-tissue