How to tell if it's a muscle strain or a ligament sprain
Disease description:
Just participated in a medical knowledge quiz, and one of the questions was about the difference between muscle strain and ligament sprain. I'd like to know how to tell whether it's a muscle strain or a ligament sprain.
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Lin Yunfei
Determine based on location and symptoms. Muscle strains commonly occur in the muscle belly—the swollen areas of the limbs and regions with well-developed muscles—where pain and injury typically indicate a muscle strain. Ligaments are located around joints and serve to stabilize them; since there is little muscle tissue around joints, injuries and pain occurring in these areas are usually ligament sprains. Muscle strains cause significant pain during muscle contraction activities, whereas patients with ligament sprains not only experience pain but also show signs such as local swelling, bruising, and discoloration.
