Diseases

Sprains and Strains

A collective term for muscle and ligament injuries without dislocation or fracture. A sprain is a joint injury in which some of the fibers of a supporting ligament are ruptured but the continuity of the ligament remains intact. A strain is an overstretching or overexertion of some part of the musculature.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

A collective term for muscle and ligament injuries without dislocation or fracture. A sprain is a joint injury in which some of the fibers of a supporting ligament are ruptured but the continuity of the ligament remains intact. A strain is an overstretching or overexertion of some part of the musculature.

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

Related Concepts

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MeSH Record

Synonyms

5 entry terms
  • Strains and Sprains
  • Sprains
  • Strains
  • Sprain
  • Strain

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

35 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemically induced, classification, complications, congenital, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, diet therapy, drug therapy, economics, embryology, enzymology, epidemiology, ethnology, etiology, genetics, history, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, mortality, nursing, parasitology, pathology, physiopathology, prevention & control, psychology, radiotherapy, rehabilitation, surgery, therapy, urine, veterinary, virology.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

coordinate sprain with specific joint /inj or ligament /inj & strain with specific muscle /inj; CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS and SPRAIN FRACTURE see FRACTURES, AVULSION are also available

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Number

  1. C26w.844

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

WE 175

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Sprains and Strains. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D013180. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D013180
  2. Sprains and Strains. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q100891792