Soft tissue injuries are the injuries in which there is localised inflammation caused due to some damage to skin or muscle tissues. These injuries are caused by overuse of affected part and sometimes there is a lot of pain around the affected part. Some of the soft tissue injuries are as follows:
(a) Sprain
(b ) Strain
(c) Abrasion
(d) Contusion
(e) Laceration
Sprain: When ligaments are stretched or torn but not with enough force to dislocate the joints. Sprain is caused directly or indirectly by a fall or a blow or knock or jump or slip or slide while walking or running. It is an injury to a joint which results in tearing of ligaments. It is associated with pain and discolouration, swelling and tenderness. In case of severe sprain. you are unable to move the affected body part or movement at joint.
Strain: It is injury to muscles, generally known as 'muscle pull'. Strain causes tearing and overstretching of muscle fibres. It happens mostly to athletes (sudden overstretching of hamstring and quadricep muscles) and are common in basketball.
Contusion: It is a muscle injury because of direct blow against skin or swelling and part of it becomes red then blue black.
Abrasion: It is a soft tissue injury. Abrasion is caused by friction with some equipment or fall. Abrasion is a scraping injury to the skin and part of skin is lost.
In case of abrasion and laceration the following treatment is suggested.
(a) Clean the surface of the affected part with some antiseptic cream.
(b) Stop bleeding at the earliest by compression bandages.
(c) Anti-tetanus injection should be taken as precaution measures till it heals up.
(d) Repeat the dressing completely.
In case of sprain and strain we follow the treatment of R.I.C.E.
R : Rest to the injured part.
I : Apply ice for first two days.
C : Compress with bandage.
E : Elevate the injured part to avoid swelling and pain
