Ligaments cannot be stretched, only sprained, so the term “strained ligament” is incorrect. Both sprains and strains involve tissue damage and require rest, ice, and rehabilitation. A sprained ligament should be treated with the RICE method and can take weeks to heal.
The term “tense ligament” is actually a misnomer. Ligaments cannot be stretched; only muscles and tendons can be tense. However, a ligament can be sprained, so instead of calling the injury a strained ligament, it should be called a sprained ligament. The similarity between the two words often leads to confusion, and it’s common to hear people refer to a ligament injury as a strained ligament. A ligament sprain occurs when the fibrous tissues that connect bones in a joint are overloaded, stretched, or twisted in an unnatural way, resulting in small tears in the fibers of the ligament.
While the term “stretched ligament” is imprecise, a strain and a sprain are very similar. Both injuries involve laceration of tissue, and both injuries require sufficient rest, ice, and rehabilitation to fully recover from the injury. The only real difference is the type of tissue damaged: a strain refers only to muscles and tendons, and a sprain refers only to ligaments. When a ligament is strained, a sudden or sharp pain will be felt in a particular joint, followed by tenderness or aches. Minor ligament sprains may not prevent a person from participating in physical activities, but more moderate or severe sprains will take enough time to heal. Sprained ligaments generally take longer to heal than muscle strains.
Much of the confusion — calling the injury a strained ligament rather than a sprain — is also perpetuated because the injuries often feel similar and the treatments are similar. Injuries can also be sustained in the same way. Unnatural twisting, bearing an unexpected load or weight that is more weight than your muscles or ligaments can handle, or direct trauma can cause a muscle strain or ligament sprain. Both injuries can be accompanied by swelling or bruising, soreness, pain, and loss of motion, and both can be helped by ice and rest. More severe sprains and strains also often require surgery, as the ligaments or muscles tear completely and need to be reconnected.
A sprained ligament should be treated using the RICE method: rest, ice, compression and elevation. Rest allows the ligaments to heal on their own and reduces the risk of them coming back. The ice continues to swell and dulls the pain. The compression also reduces swelling and the elevation promotes blood flow and prevents bruising and swelling. A sprained ligament can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks to heal.
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