Ligament stretch

definition

A ligament stretch is understood to be one that is mostly triggered by traumatic events excessive stretching and stretching one or more, different, stabilizing the joint Sidebands. Ligament stretching is the most common consequence of Sports accidents, can extremely painful be and can hold on for a long time.

causes

The most common causes of ligament stretching are sports or everyday accidents. One distinguishes 2 forms of ligament stretching. Be in one form normal movements in a joint, e.g. Ankle, performed as usual, but that too strong. The ligaments in the ankle are unphysiologically stretched. Even a fraction of the time it takes to stretch is enough to cause long-lasting pain in the sufferer.
After the overstretching, the affected person is usually a strong pain stimulus reported what prompted him to bring his joint into the physiological position. Nonetheless, they are within a very short time minimal injuries originated in the area of ​​the tape, although it quickly returned to its normal starting position.
The second form of ligament stretching is through unphysiological movements caused. This is where unwanted movements are carried out for which the corresponding joint is not intended. Here, too, the overstretching lasts only a short time, but is enough to prolonged pain trigger.

Most of the time, both forms of stretching result from Twist (e.g. at the curb) or Twisting (e.g. While playing football). Ligament stretching is the preliminary stage of the Torn ligament which can also happen in both situations. Ligament stretching can in principle occur in all joints secured by ligaments. As a rule, however, ligaments of the lower extremity are like Knee or ankle joint affected. Ligament stretching occurs less frequently without a twisting or sudden trauma having occurred.
Some patients wake up in the morning complaining of pain in the knee or ankle. In this case a unconscious turning at night have led to an overstretching of the corresponding ligament.

If the ligament is stretched, there may also be accompanying swelling in the affected joint. The reason is primarily inflammatory fluid that flows into the affected joint as a result of the ligament stretching. When the ligament is stretched Micro injuriesthat can be distributed over the entire affected band and that too severe pain to lead.

Appointment with ?

I would be happy to advise you!

Who am I?
My name is dr. Nicolas Gumpert. I am a specialist in orthopedics and the founder of .
Various television programs and print media report regularly about my work. On HR television you can see me every 6 weeks live on "Hallo Hessen".
But now enough is indicated ;-)

Athletes (joggers, soccer players, etc.) are particularly often affected by diseases of the foot. In some cases, the cause of the foot discomfort cannot be identified at first.
Therefore, the treatment of the foot (e.g. Achilles tendonitis, heel spurs, etc.) requires a lot of experience.
I focus on a wide variety of foot diseases.
The aim of every treatment is treatment without surgery with a complete recovery of performance.

Which therapy achieves the best results in the long term can only be determined after looking at all of the information (Examination, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, etc.) be assessed.

You can find me in:

• Lumedis - your orthopedic surgeon
  Kaiserstrasse 14
  60311 Frankfurt am Main

Directly to the online appointment arrangement
Unfortunately, it is currently only possible to make an appointment with private health insurers. I hope for your understanding!
Further information about myself can be found at Dr. Nicolas Gumpert

Duration of a ligament stretch

The duration of a ligament stretch depends on Strength and type of accident and from the Type of joint affected. Ligaments that belong to a smaller joint tend to be less sensitive to pain. A ligament stretch would heal faster.
Stretching the strong ligaments of large joints, such as the knee or ankle, can take a long time.

On average, the pain lasts approx. 3-14 days. Anything beyond that is highly suspect. After about a week, if the pain in the corresponding joint has not improved, an examination should be carried out to see whether the ligament is not torn or completely torn through is.
You can do this with either a Ultrasonic carry out (possibly not so good representation) or with one MRI examinationthat gives the best shots and shows all joints and ligaments very well.

Ligament pain pain

In addition to an accompanying swelling in the area of ​​the ligaments, there is always a stretching of the ligaments Pain of varying intensity available. They are mostly from pulling, pungent character and can occur with strong ligament stretches at rest and in motion, with lighter stretches only under stress.
The pain can too knocking and throbbing be and move away from the actual joint and spread.

On the one hand, the pain comes about because the stretching of the ligaments leads to small micro-injuries small tears in the area of ​​the tape. Furthermore, it can also be used by stretching Influx of tissue fluid come into the affected joint, which increases the pressure there when the space in the joint is already very limited. This pressure created by swelling leads to Irritation of nervesaccompanying the joints and ligaments, causing another pain.

Shortly after the ligament is stretched, the strongest pain in the area of ​​the joint. As the healing increases, the pain should get better. If the pain symptoms do not decrease sufficiently or even deteriorate, further diagnostics must be carried out.

Please also read our article on this Symptoms of a ligament stretch.

Ligament stretch at the knee

A ligament stretch at the knee is very common and is usually caused by it Sports accidents triggered. But even if a wrong step is taken in everyday life, ligaments in the knee joint can stretch.
The knee is stabilized by strong side ligaments left and right. You are responsible for keeping the knee in one Hinge position stays and does not break out to the left and right. The classic cause of ligament stretching is this Rotating the knee joint. The knee is only designed to rotate up to a certain limit. With all further rotations in the knee, the ligaments are then stretched.

Also read: Twisted knee- is that dangerous?

Also a lateral bending of the lower leg compared to the thigh leads to sometimes very severe ligament stretching in the knee area. Football and skiing, but also squash and tennis, can contribute to ligament stretching in the knee. Kick shortly after the accident strong pain in the affected joint, the knee swells possibly also on and can hardly be moved.
Another typical movement that causes ligament stretching in the knee is Rotation of the whole bodywhile the lower leg is firmly fixed on the floor. This rotary movement also often takes place in everyday life, e.g. if you suddenly turns around.

The pain of a ligament stretch is shooting in and stabbing and allow the affected person to immediately return to the normal posture and position of the joint. The subsequent pain is then a little less severe than the original pain, but often tedious. Shortly after the trauma, those affected usually begin to hobble and, if things don't get better, see a doctor.

The important thing as an immediate measure is consistent cooling of the joint. This should be done 3-4 times a day for about 10-20 minutes with an ice pack wrapped in a towel. Protection is also urgently needed. However, complete immobility of the leg should be avoided as this increases the risk of thrombosis.
Furthermore, a Association be applied for compression. It can also be helpful to apply a pain gel to the joint. Here are especially suitable Doc-Gel® or Voltarengel®. It should be applied 2 times a day. These measures should be carried out for a few days, and improvement should be seen the next day.

If this is not the case, a doctor should be consulted. He will do appropriate examinations to find out whether the ligament or several ligaments have only been stretched or even torn or torn are. In the case of severe pain in the knee joint, anti-inflammatory and analgesic tablets can also be taken. Here are preparations like Ibuprofen (e.g. 3x 400 mg a day) or Diclofenac (e.g. 2x 75 mg a day) to disposal. The corresponding package insert must be observed.

Ligament stretch at the ankle / ankle

The Ankle joint is also a taped joint, which is very often affected by stretching in the area of ​​the ligament apparatus. The ligaments, which are attached to the side at the level of the ankle, stabilize the joint and ensure that the movements possible in the joint can be carried out smoothly.
The ankle joint is much more flexible than the knee joint (here even rotary movements can be carried out to a certain extent), but excessive movement will also stretch the ligaments present here.

Classically it comes through a Twist When running or climbing stairs to a sudden kinking movement in the ankle, whereby the ligaments there are briefly excessively stretched and then come back to their starting position. This brief overstretching ensures that there are small microtraumas in the area of ​​the ligaments, which are then called Pain with every movement be perceived. If the ligament is stretched, the ankle swells.
If the stretching of the ligaments is accompanied by rupture of blood vessels, it can also cause a Hemorrhage come what the person concerned then based on a bruise in the area of ​​the ankle recognizes (Hematoma).

The diagnosis usually consists of asking the patient to find out the reason for the ligament stretching. Most of the time a sudden fall or "Kinking the curb”And then very quickly indicates an injury to the ligament apparatus in the area of ​​the ankle and ankle.
The doctor will then examine a few movements at the joint and feel the painful area to see whether the foot is tender and how strong, whether bending and stretching movements are possible and whether the patient is, as usual, too circular movements of the foot can perform. Before doing any imaging, a cooling and anti-inflammatory gel (Diclofenac or ibuprofen) and the ankle is stabilized with a bandage. Ice packs can also be placed on the bandage and thus contribute to the swelling of the joint.

Tablets such as ibuprofen or diclofenac can also be taken for general anti-inflammatory measures. If the ankle discomfort has not improved within a few days, further diagnostics in the form of a Imaging be performed.
The orthopedic surgeon can first perform an ultrasound examination. If a clear representation of the bands is not possible, a MRI scan of the joint be performed. In addition to bones, ligaments, blood vessels and nerves can also be shown.
A simple one is enough to rule out a fracture X-ray image of the ankle. It should be made whenever the pain or swelling in the ankle is too a few days after the accident haven't gotten much better. Even if the patient has such severe pain after twisting his ankle that he can hardly put any weight on his foot, the first thing to do is to exclude a fracture in the ankle area by means of an X-ray.

Ligament stretching on the thumb

The thumb joint is also secured by small straps. Sudden pain there can also be triggered by ligament stretching. In addition to ligament stretching of the ankle and knee, ligament stretching in the area of ​​the thumb is also common.
Especially in ball sports such as handball or basketball, if the thumb is twisted when it comes into contact with the ball, the ligament can be suddenly stretched, which leads to sudden shooting pain.

Shortly after the accident, the thumb cannot be moved in the usual way, and the joint sometimes swells. If the ligament is stretched in the area of ​​the thumb, as with any other stretching of the ligament, immediate cooling is particularly important. On the one hand, this ensures rapid pain relief and, on the other hand, it also reduces the swelling of the joint.
In the further course, the thumb joint should be bandaged in order not to continue to strain the ligaments with the usual thumb movements. Usually it is enough to fix the thumbs with a bandage for about 2 days.
Furthermore, pain relieving gels or an anti-inflammatory and pain relieving tablet treatment can be carried out.

In addition to ligament stretching in the area of ​​the thumb joint, a tear or tear in the capsule in the thumb joint can lead to sudden pain. Here too there is usually a (Sports) -Accident the cause. Pain in the area of ​​the thumb that occurs rather slowly can also always be caused by osteoarthritis in the saddle joint of the thumb (so-called rhizarthrosis) have been triggered.The diagnosis is made using an X-ray.

You will find more information on this topic here:

• Thumb pain- is that dangerous?
• Overstretched thumb

Which doctor should you see if you have a ligament stretch?

If a ligament is suspected, the Family doctor to be visited. He can already carry out the first treatment and use simple examination techniques to find out whether the cause of the symptoms is a stretched ligament or even one fracture is. Another benefit is the mostly short waiting time on an appointment.
If the cause of the complaints is unclear or further diagnostics are necessary, a Orthopedist and or Trauma surgeon to be visited. He will carry out further treatments and usually one MRI imaging carry out. Since the waiting time at an orthopedic surgeon can be very long, it is often necessary to resort to orthopedic trauma surgery treatment in the hospital outpatient department.