OUR BLOG
- July 31, 2025
- 10:01 pm
Knowing whether you have a strain or sprain is key to creating an effective treatment plan.
If you’ve ever rolled your ankle, tweaked your shoulder, or felt that sudden pull in your hamstring mid-workout, you’ve probably asked yourself: Did I strain something? Or is this a sprain? While these two injuries often feel similar, they’re actually very different—and treating them properly starts with understanding which one you’re dealing with.
What’s a Strain?
A strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon (the thick cords that attach muscle to bone). Strains happen when those tissues are overstretched or torn—think hamstring pulls, lower back tension, or shoulder strains. Common causes include overuse, improper lifting, or sudden forceful movement.
Symptoms of a strain:
- Muscle pain or tenderness
- Swelling or bruising
- Limited range of motion
- Muscle weakness or cramping
What’s a Sprain?
A sprain, on the other hand, involves a ligament—the tissue that connects bone to bone and stabilizes joints. Sprains occur when a ligament is stretched or torn, often due to trauma like a twist or impact. The most common example? A rolled ankle.
Symptoms of a sprain:
- Pain around a joint (like the ankle or wrist)
- Swelling and bruising
- Instability in the joint
- Difficulty putting weight on it or using it normally
Both types of injuries can benefit from physical therapy to reduce pain, restore function, and prevent reinjury.
Why It’s Important to Know the Difference
Knowing whether you have a strain or sprain is key to creating an effective treatment plan. Treating them the same way might not only delay healing—it could make things worse.
For example:
A sprain might benefit from bracing or joint support early on, while a strain might need gentle mobility work to avoid stiffness.
You might need to strengthen surrounding muscles after a sprain to stabilize the joint, whereas with a strain, you may need to work directly on healing and reloading the injured muscle.
Both types of injuries can benefit from physical therapy to reduce pain, restore function, and prevent reinjury—but your treatment plan needs to be tailored based on the exact tissue involved.
Why It’s Important to Know the Difference
Knowing whether you have a strain or sprain is key to creating an effective treatment plan. Treating them the same way might not only delay healing—it could make things worse.
For example:
A sprain might benefit from bracing or joint support early on, while a strain might need gentle mobility work to avoid stiffness.
You might need to strengthen surrounding muscles after a sprain to stabilize the joint, whereas with a strain, you may need to work directly on healing and reloading the injured muscle.
Both types of injuries can benefit from physical therapy to reduce pain, restore function, and prevent reinjury—but your treatment plan needs to be tailored based on the exact tissue involved.
When in Doubt, Get It Checked Out
If you’re not sure what you’re dealing with, don’t guess your way through recovery. A proper evaluation can help you understand what’s going on and how to treat it the right way from the start. At Somatic Physical Therapy, we’ll help you identify the source of your pain, create a targeted plan for healing, and get you back to doing what you love—safely and confidently.
Take the first step towards a pain-free life.