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Musculoskeletal sprains and strains

Last reviewed: 4 Oct 2024
Last updated: 05 Mar 2021

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • acute onset of symptoms
  • mechanism of injury
  • severe pain
  • swelling
  • bruising
  • palpable gap in normal position for Achilles tendon (Achilles tendon rupture)
  • positive calf squeeze test (Achilles tendon rupture)
  • positive Matles test (Achilles tendon rupture)
  • positive biceps squeeze test (biceps tendon rupture)
  • positive Hook test (biceps tendon rupture)
  • pop sound
  • deformity
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • previous injury
  • symptom duration more than a few days
  • limited range of motion (ROM)
  • weakness
Full details

Risk factors

  • type of sports (basketball, ice skating, soccer, contact sports)
  • anatomic variation
  • eccentric exercise
  • pennate muscle architecture and type II muscle fibers (fast twitch)
  • muscle-tendon units that span 2 joints
  • previous history of ankle sprain
Full details

Diagnostic tests

1st tests to order

  • x-rays
  • MRI
  • ultrasound for nonligament injuries
Full details

Tests to consider

  • diagnostic arthroscopy
Full details

Treatment algorithm

ACUTE

presenting within the first 24 to 48 hours: incomplete rupture (grade 1 or 2) suspected

presenting within the first 24 to 48 hours: confirmed complete rupture (grade 3)

ONGOING

with worse pain and/or without functional improvement at 1-week review

Contributors

Authors

Senthil N. Sambandam, MBBS, MS, MRCS(Edn)

Staff Orthopaedic Surgeon

Department of Orthopaedics

VA Medical Center

Cheyenne

WY

Disclosures

SNS declares that he has no competing interests.

Varatharaj Mounasamy, MD, FRCS

Assistant Professor

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond

VA

Disclosures

VM is an editorial board member, European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology.

Sakthivel Rajaram Manoharan, MD, MS

Spinal Clinical Research Fellow

Queens Medical Centre

Nottingham

UK

Disclosures

SRM declares that he has no competing interests.

Acknowledgements

Dr Senthil N. Sambandam, Dr Varatharaj Mounasamy, and Dr Sakthivel Rajaram Manoharan would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Issada Thongtrangan, a previous contributor to this topic. IT declares that he has no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Quanjun Cui, MD

Assistant Professor

Department of Orthopaedics

University of Virginia

Charlottesville

VA

Disclosures

QC declares that he has no competing interests.

Nicola Maffulli, MD, MS, PhD, FRCS(Orth)

Professor of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery

University Hospital of North Staffordshire

Keele University School of Medicine

Stoke on Trent

UK

Disclosures

NM is an author of a study referenced in this topic.

  • Differentials

    • Fracture
    • Cartilage injury
    More Differentials
  • Guidelines

    • ACR Appropriateness Criteria Acute Trauma to the Ankle
    • Nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic management of acute pain from non–low back, musculoskeletal injuries in adults: a clinical guideline from the American College of Physicians and American Academy of Family Physicians
    More Guidelines
  • Patient information

    Ankle sprain

    More Patient information
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