What is the difference between a ‘strain’ and a ‘sprain’?

strainIn last month’s newsletter, we announced a new section of our newsletter where you, the patient, could ask Drew a health related question that you have been curious about. We had several responses and have chosen the following question in our first installment of ‘Ask Drew’.

Q: What is the difference between a ‘strain’ and a ‘sprain’?

A: This is a very commonly confusing distinction. At one point or another in most of our lives we have suffered from both, most of the time we didn’t care what it was called because it hurt the same.

A strain is an overload of muscles or tendons that causes tearing of the fibers. They are also commonly refereed to as a ‘pulled muscle’. Depending upon the amount of fibers that are torn, a muscles strain is classified by first-degree, second-degree and third-degree (the worst) strains.

sprainA sprain refers to an overload on the ligaments that stabilize a joint. They are also labeled according to degrees of first, second and third depending upon the number of torn fibers involved.

It is not uncommon to suffer both in an injury. Both sprains and strains can be painful, but oddly enough sometimes first and second-degree occurrences of these conditions can be more painful than third degree injuries. This is because the fibers are completely torn and there isn’t a tensile load being placed upon the fibers.

If you have a health related question, please ‘Ask Drew’

(Comments and suggestions from Drew do not constitute a diagnosis. ‘Ask Drew’ is intended for informational purposes only.)

[divider]

Ask Drew!

Each month we will be selecting a question from one of our patients to explore in the following month’s newsletter. We know you have many questions about wellness related topics such as understanding injuries, managing stress, etc…and we want to offer you a platform to ask Drew a question directly that would also benefit other patients.

We look forward to receiving your questions!



Ready to #feelbetter?

You're just a click away from a wicked good massage!

Book Now!

May Flowers-Life Hack

April Showers Bring 5 Flower Hacks What do you get when you combine soda, vodka, apple cider vinegar, hair spray & bleach?  Some incredible ways to preserve your flowers this season. Sure, April showers bring May flowers, but mother nature went a tad over board with it this April.  So how well are you prepared…

Read More

#FeelBetterBoston Recap

#FeelBetterBoston Recap The inaugural #FeelBetterBoston Massage & Community Wellness event over Marathon weekend left people with a smile on their face and genuine appreciation for all that was provided. We knew this being the first time we held such an event that we would be competing with the likes of the infamous BAA Expo and other…

Read More

How Do You Roll??

How Do You Roll?? Are Foam Rolling Advocates Stretching the Truth? Foam rolling is one of the most common means of self-care for so many people.  It has been thought to provide many benefits such as enhanced performance, improved flexibility and speed, pain reduction and muscle recovery. Often it is referred to as a self-massage technique,…

Read More

On the Mend

On the Mend As we quickly approach the holy grail of running events, the Boston Marathon, we start to see a rise in our battered and beaten road warriors.  Overuse conditions from months of increased training, acute injuries from falls on slippery roads and chronic aches and pains, all result in the patient surrendering to…

Read More

Life Hack: Watch the SB LIII on TV, but LISTEN on the Radio

Life Hack: Watch the SB LIII on TV, but LISTEN on the Radio So, our beloved Pats are back in the big game again. I’m not going to relay stats and numbers that drive home the dynasty known as the New England Patriots. We are all aware of them. However, if you want to enjoy…

Read More

Cortisone Injections: Yay or Ney?

Cortisone Injections: Yay or Ney? As massage therapists, we often see patients who have been struggling to find an answer for a particular pain problem. Some of these cases are acute (sudden onset) where others may be chronic (reoccurring over a long period of time). It is not uncommon to have a patient ask us…

Read More

Chiropractic Care at The Boston Bodyworker

Chiropractic Care at The Boston Bodyworker We are excited to announce the arrival of Dr. Jean Kelly of Momentum Healthcare to our office. Dr. Kelly has been practicing in our building for the past 10 years and has been a friend to The Boston Bodyworker for almost 20 years. We are honored to have her…

Read More

Spine Health: Don’t Ignore It!

Spine Health: Don’t Ignore It! The new year always provides us with the feeling of having a clean slate. Let’s face it, most of us don’t take very good care of our spines. 2019 can be the year that your resolutions come true. This lack of care can lead to physical discomfort and make us…

Read More

Life Hack: Drink Tea

Life Hack: Drink Tea With the rainiest and most dreary Fall in recent time behind us and winter now in full swing, the need for us to provide optimal care for ourselves is high. Despite American’s love affair with coffee, tea is really the more versatile of the beverages. Most of us reach for a…

Read More

Life Hack: Forward Head Posture

Life Hack: Forward Head Posture How many times in the course of a day do you roll your shoulders and neck around to alleviate “the spot” in between your shoulder blades. There are several reasons for the discomfort you are experiencing, but one way to resolve this is to do what is known as a…

Read More