To be able to rule out a serious ligament injury such as a torn ligament, a doctor should always be consulted in the event of pain in the ligament apparatus. Before seeing a doctor, the absence of a bruise and only a slight swelling of the affected area can already provide initial indications of a ligament strain.
Different types of diagnosis
By palpating the joint and performing certain functional and stability tests, the treating physician can determine the clinical picture more precisely. However, such functional tests cannot always provide one hundred percent reliable information. For this reason, imaging procedures such as an X-ray examination or magnetic resonance imaging are sometimes used for diagnosis. The latter is often performed for ligament injuries in the knee.
Treat ligament sprains according to the PECH rule.
Ligament sprain, just like all other ligament injuries, is best treated using the PECH rule:
- P (Pause): If a ligament strain is present, the affected joint should be rested extensively to allow for a quick healing process.
- E (ice): the injured knee, shoulder, hand or ankle joint should be cooled with ice or cold water immediately after the injury. However, a cold pack should never come into direct contact with the skin – otherwise frostbite can occur. Cooling relieves pain and prevents the joint from swelling too much.
- C (Compression): applying a compression bandage also helps to prevent excessive swelling of the affected joint.
- H (Elevation): In case of ligament strains in the ankle or knee joint, the affected leg should be elevated as often as possible.
Ligament stretching: duration of the healing process.
If there is a ligament strain, the healing process usually takes no longer than one to two weeks. During this time, the affected joint should be extensively rested and sports should be completely avoided. Only when the swelling has subsided and the pain has subsided may training be resumed. Otherwise, the typical symptoms of ligament stretching can quickly return – as a rule, the injury then hurts even more than before.
While sports activities are better avoided during the healing phase, everyday activities are usually possible. Caution is advised, however, if putting weight on the joint causes severe pain. To provide additional support for the joint and prevent the ligaments from stretching again, it is advisable to wear a stabilizing bandage during the healing process.
Once the pain of the ligament stretch has subsided, training can be slowly resumed. However, too long or hard training should be avoided immediately after the injury has healed. If discomfort occurs again during training, a doctor should be consulted.
Beware of the late effects of a ligament strain
If you have already had problems with injuries to the ligaments more than once, it is recommended to additionally stabilize the respective joint during sports by wearing a support stocking. Appropriate supports are available for the ankle joint, the knee joint, the elbow joint and the wrist joint, among others. Overstraining of the muscles should also be avoided during sports, as ligament strains are particularly frequent in a tired state due to missteps.
If a ligament strain or tear does not heal completely, it can lead to long-term instability in the affected joint. Then even a small misstep can lead to another ligament injury. Premature development of osteoarthritis can also be a result of a ligament strain that has not fully healed.
