Whether it occurs on the sports field or in a freak accident at home, when an injury like a sprain or break occurs, the pain can feel unbearable. When an injury occurs, it’s important to seek prompt treatment. The first step toward treatment? Diagnosing the injury. Our team at AFC Urgent Care Fountain City wants to walk you through three common injuries.

Get the Facts on Injuries

When it comes to common sports injuries, they often all get lumped together. But how much do you truly know about the differences between the various injuries? Let’s take a look at three injuries and how they differ:

The Sprain

When a ligament around a joint tears, a sprain occurs. While the ankle is the most commonly sprained area of the body, a sprain can occur around any joint. When a sprain occurs, a person may experience:

• Bruising
• Pain
• Inflammation
• Swelling

When a sprain happens, some people say they hear a pop in the joint. But that’s not always the case. If you have recurrent sprains, such as in the ankle, you are putting yourself at an increased risk of ankle arthritis or a tendon injury. As a result, it is important to not only treat the sprain itself, but also to work to prevent any future sprains from occurring.

The Strain

It can be difficult to know the difference between a sprain and a strain. But the main difference is the area of the body affected. A strain occurs when you twist, tear or pull a muscle or tendon. When a strain occurs, you can expect to experience one or more of the following symptoms:

• Pain
• Cramping
• Muscle weakness or spasm
• Swelling

The Break

A break is just what you can imagine it being—when a fracture or break in the bone occurs. Most of the time, a break happens due to an accident or sports injury. Yet, bone weakness can also cause bones to break more easily. Symptoms of a break include:

• Bleeding
• Bruising
• Limping
• Swelling
• Tenderness

Prevention Is the Best Medicine

While treatment can help alleviate injuries of all sorts, prevention can help stop them before they occur. Take a look at ways to best reduce your risk of suffering from one of these aforementioned injuries. First, make sure you are building muscle strength through a reliable conditioning program, as well as stretching before and after a workout or sporting event to make sure your muscles and joints are ready to go! Second, your footwear needs to fit properly, as well as be the right type of shoe for the sporting event or activity you are participating in. Third, fuel your body and keep hydrated before and after your workout. Are you unsure whether you have broken or sprained your ankle? Visit AFC Urgent Care Fountain Citytoday to undergo an X-ray in our state-of-the-art laboratory for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.