Mayo Clinic Health Manager
Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.
Get Started
close window
Housecall Archives
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
close window
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
Signs and symptoms will vary, depending on the severity of the injury.
Sprains
- Pain
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Limited ability to move the affected joint
- At the time of injury, you may hear or feel a "pop" in your joint
Strains
- Pain
- Swelling
- Muscle spasms
- Limited ability to move the affected muscle
When to see a doctor
Mild sprains and strains can be treated at home. But you should see a doctor if you:
- Can't walk more than four steps without significant pain
- Can't move the affected joint
- Have numbness in any part of the injured area
- See redness or red streaks spreading out from the injury
References
- Sprains and strains. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Sprains_Strains/default.asp. Accessed July 28, 2009.
- Activity health tip #2: Sprains, strains and contusions. National Athletic Trainers' Association. http://www.nata.org/consumer/sprainsandstrains.htm. Accessed July 28, 2009.
- Sprains and strains: What's the difference? American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00111. Accessed July 29, 2009.
- El Abd O. Low back strain or sprain. In: Frontera WR, et al. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/151967914-3/868577610/1678/47.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-4007-1..50046-8_717. Accessed July 29, 2009.
- Geiderman JM. General principles of orthopedic injuries. In: Marx JA, et al. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2006. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/151967914-3/868577610/1365/118.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-02845-4..50051-2--cesec59_1711. Accessed July 29, 2009.
