It’s just a sprain…..it’s not actually torn….right?

Enhance Physiotherapy Como Physio

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”2228″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]We ARE GOING TO BUST THE MYTH!! And it might be boring folks but knowledge is power and knowledge about your own body gives you so much power. I’m excited about writing this blog for everyone because I love ❤ the human body but I must keep in mind not everyone is like minded and I will try not to get too carried away. My chosen topic is joint sprains and muscle strains and tears to joints, ligaments and muscle tissue!!![/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2229″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Over my 15 years of being a physiotherapist I feel I’ve answered a lot of questions. No silly ones, just genuinely great questions that I love answering (no question about your body is ever silly). But one that never gets too old is “So I’ve just sprained my joint, I haven’t torn it?” Or “so I’ve just strained my hammy I haven’t torn it?”

I’m here today to say YES – yes you have torn it!! So if someone tells you you have a sprain or strain they are telling you that you have created damage aka a tear and you may need to be out of sport for an amount of time as the body recovers from the injury that it has sustained. AND you will have to do rehabilitation to make sure that injury doesn’t happen again.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2230″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]The good news about this myth busting blog is I’m here to give you guys the power; the secret to healing yourselves quicker – the ability to look inside your Physio’s mind and see what’s ticking…..

Firstly, a brief anatomy lesson:

  1. Ligaments attach bone to bone to provide stability to joints. Every joint has ligaments even your spine. Here’s a picture of an ankle showing the most commonly sprained ankle joint the ATFL.

[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2233″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]2. Muscles are your prime movers. There are two muscle systems in your body – a local and global (that’s a whole other blog!) but muscles attach to bone via a tendon. Here’s a picture of your hamstring. 3 different muscles make up your hamstring which all become tendons attaching to the bone.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”2056″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Here are the keys to ensuring you never become that person that we have all heard about or from –

The guy who “I tore my hammy it’s never been the same since I keep tearing it over and over again” (weak spot)

The girl who “I sprained my ankle now it’s my dodgy one” (loss of strength and power)

Key points to a full and complete recover of a ligament sprain (tear) or muscle strain (tear) and to ensure you have no weakness and you can be the inner athlete we all want to achieve are –

  1. RICER immediately the most important aspect of RICER in my eyes is compression so compress the area with tape or bandage and ice over the top
  2. Seek Physio (Enhance Physio preferably ?) within the first 72 hours so your Physio can start working on clearing out the inflammation using ultrasound and all other tools at their disposal (aka their hands) and start getting the scar tissue to lie it self down in a useful manner
  3. Rehab – you have got to do your rehab!!!! You have to stretch when it’s time to stretch; you have to strengthen when it’s time to strengthen; you have to do proprioception til the cows come home if you have sprained your ankle and so on! A good Physio (Enhance Physio ?) will lead you through this process
  4. Drink plenty of water in the rehab stage – flush those toxins out
  5. Massage – a good sports massage (Enhance Physio ?) when the time is right in your rehab will help to break down scar tissue so it does not become your weakness.

[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”1980″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]All our amazing physiotherapists at Enhance Physio are fully equipped to ensure you become strong fitter and better after an injury. We view everything as an opportunity to be better not a weakness or weak spot. Call us today on 9583 5165 xx Bel[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]