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Sprains & Strains

  • Committee on the Medical Aspects of Sports of the American MedicalAssociation 1968
  • "Standard Nomenclature of Athletic Injuries"
  • sprain = injury limited to ligaments
  • strain = stretching injury of muscle or its tendinous attachment to bone
Classification of Strains & Sprains
Degree Description
1st
  • tear of a minimal number of fibers with localized tenderness but no instability
2nd
  • disruption of more ligamentous fibers with more loss of function & more joint reaction with mild to moderate instability
3rd
  • complete disruption with resultant marked instability
    • further graded depending on the degree of instability demonstrated during stress testing
      • 1+ - surfaces separate 5 mm or less
      • 2+ = 5 to 10 mm
      • 3+ = 10 mm or more