Soft tissue trauma
•Ligaments (bone to bone)
•
•Tendons (muscle to bone)
•
•Muscle
•
•Fat, joint capsules, other connective tissue…

Common traumas
•
•Sprain
•Strain
•Contusions
•Tendonitis
•Bursitis

Sprains
•Ankle, knee, wrists…
•
•Stretch or complete or
•partial tear of a ligament
•
•Over extension
• of joint
•
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Strains
•Equivalent injury of sprain, to a muscle or tendon.
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•Stretch or complete/partial
• tear of a muscle or tendon
•
•
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Contusions
•Bruise caused by a blow to
•muscle, tendon, or ligament.
•
•Blood pools under the skin
• leading to discoloration,
• swelling and pain.
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Tendonitis and bursitis
•Inflammation
•Caused by series of small
•stresses (overuse) or injury
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Féria\Desktop\general_tendonitis_achilles_anatomy03.jpg

Management
•Minimize pain, swelling, hemorrhage, inflammation and muscle spasm.
•
•Protection and immobilization of the damaged tissue.
•
•Preventing joint deformity, stiffness, muscle atrophy and tight adhesions.
•
•Eventually controlled mobilization, simulation of activity stress and finally complete recovery.

Management
•Immediately after the injury occurs one should apply the PRICE principle to minimize the local
tissue damage, prevent further trauma and reduce inflammation.
•
•PRICE stands for: Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation
•

•Protection: removing hazards away from the individual and preventing movement (often by splinting)
•Rest: avoid activity causing discomfort, usually  imobilizing injury area by splinting and casting
and avoiding weight bearing by the use of crutches.
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•Ice: for the first 72 hours, controls swelling and minimizes pain and inflammation symptoms.
Recommended for 15 minutes every 4 hours.
•
•Compression: application of pressure over the injured area. Controls initial bleeding and reduces
residual swelling. The bandage should be firm but not so tight as to cause pain.
•
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•Elevation: also
•minimizes bleeding,
• swelling and
•general inflammation.
•
•Ideally above heart level.

•If severe pain persists nerve conduction studies may also be used to localize nerve dysfunction,
assess severity and help with prognosis. Electrodiagnosis also helps differentiate between myopathy
and neuropathy.
•
•Anti-inflammatory medication may also be used in combination with PRICE.
•

•More severe soft tissue trauma may require surgical intervention:
•
•Repair of torn tissues
•Replacement or reconstruction
•Reattachment and transposition