Emergency and Urgent Care - Sprains, strains and bruising - soft tissue injuries

Soft tissue injury advice

Soft tissue injuries involve sprains, strains and bruising to ligaments, muscles, tendons and skin.

This leaflet is designed to help you, and your body, recover after an injury.

After an injury, your body works hard to repair, recover, and renew the affected area. The process starts with inflammation which often causes:

• Pain in and around the area
• Swelling
• Bruising
• Mild heat
• Redness

Soft tissue injuries often become worse over the first few days with increased swelling, bruising, and pain before starting to get better.

There are a few things you can do to help this process and get you back to your usual activities.

Pacing your activity levels

Generally, the first few days are the worst with regards to pain and limitation of movement. Initially, you should listen to your body and adapt your life to suit.

Too much rest can slow down your recovery so, as soon as you can, start moving and using the affected area.

Remember a little activity is better than nothing. Continue to stay within acceptable pain limits but remember you don’t need to be pain free. Aim to do a little bit more each day or every few days.

Soft tissue injuries can take several weeks to fully settle. You should avoid activities such as contact sports, or other activities which could lead to a further injury during this time.

Avoid Anti-inflammatory medication

Traditionally medications like ibuprofen, diclofenac and naproxen were recommended for all soft tissue injuries. Evidence now suggests they may have limited value. In some cases, they may even slow down the healing process if they are taken too early in your recovery from a soft tissue injury.

Simple analgesia such a Paracetamol is usually effective if taken regularly as per manufacturer’s instructions.

If pain relief is your main concern your doctor or pharmacist can help work out what medication is right for you.

Applying ice

The use of ice is still recommended for swelling. Remember to never place ice directly on your skin. Use a barrier, like a towel, to protect your skin from a burn.

How long you use ice as a treatment can depend on the area of injury. However, generally apply ice for up to 15 minutes and leave a few hours between treatments.

You should stop treating the area with ice and seek advice from a health professional if:

• You notice an increase in redness, discolouration or blistering of the skin
• The swelling continues to worsen
• The area becomes hot and red
• You are unable to weight bear or take any pressure on the area

If you have any issues with circulation or sensation, you should not use ice as a treatment for swelling.

Elevation

Elevation can be a useful way to control significant swelling, especially if you are able to place the affected area above your heart. For example, keep your leg or arm elevated and supported on pillows.

Following an injury

Most soft tissue injuries heal without any problems in about six to eight weeks. However, it may take a several months for your symptoms to settle completely, these can include pain or discomfort, stiffness, decreased strength, and swelling. The injury may take longer to heal if you suffer from diabetes or if you smoke.

As your symptoms start to settle gradually introduce movement, strength, and functional activities into your routine. These things help to reduce stiffness, pain and swelling. More importantly, they provide your body with the vital information and stimulation it needs to repair, restore, and renew itself.

These injuries almost always heal well with time and therefore follow up clinic appointments are not always needed.

If you are at all concerned about your injury, please contact your GP or attend your local Accident & Emergency department for further assessment.