The truth is that accidents just happen sometimes. You can fall awkwardly on your ankle during a jump, sprain your wrist while trying to break a fall or hit your leg on the leg of a table. All of these accidents can lead to a soft tissue injury.
You’re likely to sustain at least one soft tissue injury in your life. And while some may heal on their own with time, others may require treatment. We’re here to help you figure out the best treatment options to explore.
Read on to learn about the ins and outs of soft tissue injuries as well as potential treatment options that can help their symptoms.
What is a soft tissue injury?
A soft tissue injury, sometimes known as an STI, refers to any injury that damages your muscles, tendons or ligaments.
There are five major types of soft tissue injuries:
- Strains — When your muscle or tendon is stretched too much, you could have a strain. This STI is most common in your back or thigh and can be caused by overuse or trauma.
- Sprains — As opposed to a strain, a sprain refers to an overstretched ligament, which is the tissue that connects your bones together in the joint. It’s caused when trauma forces the joint to move in an unnatural way, such as “twisting” your ankle joint.
- Contusions — A bruise, also known as a contusion, is when ruptured blood capillaries cause bleeding under the skin in response to blunt trauma. Bruises are an area of soft tissue that can become swollen and discolored.
- Bursitis — There are fluid-filled sacs, called bursae, that work as cushions for joints near bones, tendons and muscles to reduce friction during movements. A bursa can become inflamed and limit mobility.
- Tendonitis — When the tissue that connects muscle to bone, called tendons, becomes inflamed, you can experience pain and swelling. It can stem from overuse or too much exercise.
These injuries can be categorized as either acute or overuse injuries. Strains, sprains and contusions are acute injuries as they occur from sudden trauma. Bursitis and tendonitis are overuse injuries that develop gradually due to repetitive movements.
Every soft tissue injury can be given a Grade from 1 to 3 by a medical professional based on severity.
4 treatments for soft tissue injuries
Every soft tissue injury is different. It can vary in type, grade and location. That means some treatment options might be less effective than others, depending on your specific soft tissue injury. Ask your medical provider which treatment options would work best for your specific injury and symptoms.
Four treatments for soft tissue injuries are:
- RICE — For acute injuries like contusions, strains, and sprains, the RICE method combines four treatment options that should be used immediately following an injury. Rest, ice, compression and elevation can help reduce pain and swelling to promote the healing process.
- Injections — Pain that stems from overuse injuries, such as bursitis, may benefit from a steroid injection. If you’re experiencing persistent or worsening pain, your medical provider may recommend a cortisone shot that’s administered directly into the affected area.
- Exercises — One of the best ways to treat nearly any type of soft tissue injury is by exercising the injured area. A physical therapist can walk you through the stretching and strengthening exercises that will not only help with pain management, but also by increasing mobility. Stretching exercises can help to increase flexibility and range of motion, while strengthening exercises can help prevent future injury.
- Soft tissue mobilization — A physical therapist can also use a manual therapy technique like soft tissue mobilization. This technique involves the therapist moving their hands in massage-like motions to the injured area to feel around for scar tissue. Then they could use their hands to break up the tissue and release the tension that’s causing pain.
Alliance PTP is ready to connect you with top-notch PT for soft tissue injury treatment
At Alliance Physical Therapy Partners, we’re proudly bringing together physical therapy practices across the country to help people get the high-quality PT they need.
Want to see a physical therapist in person? We can put you in touch with an Alliance PTP partner that’s close to you and that can help you address soft tissue injuries.
Not keen on in-person PT sessions or not close to an Alliance PTP partner? No worries. We also offer effective and affordable virtual physical therapy through our Agile Virtual Physical Therapy platform.
Come find help for your injury or chronic condition today!
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