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You are here : Healthopedia.com > Medical Encyclopedia > Injuries and Wounds > Sprains
      Category : Health Centers > Injuries and Safety

Sprains

Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors | Symptoms & Signs | Diagnosis & Tests | Prevention & Expectations | Treatment & Monitoring | Attribution


A sprain is a stretch or tear of a ligament. A ligament is a band of tissue that connects two bones. The sprain occurs when the ligament is extended beyond the normal range for a particular joint.

What are the causes and risks of the injury?

Sprains occur when a joint is knocked out of position by a fall, hard blow, or other injury. Some common causes of sprains include the following:

  • falls, particularly falls onto an outstretched arm
  • motor vehicle accidents
  • obesity or overweight
  • overstretching, such as during an exercise warm-up session
  • running on an uneven surface
  • sports injuries
  • work-related injuries, such as repetitive stress injuries from overusing a joint or extremity

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    Sprains: Symptoms & Signs

    Author: James Broomfield, MD
    Reviewer: Eileen McLaughlin, RN, BSN
    Date Reviewed: 08/09/01



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