A Look at Common Soft Tissue Injuries

Soft tissue injuries are fairly common in car accident cases and can result in neck pain, stiffness and headaches. Even though these types of injuries are common, they don’t always appear on X-rays, so personal injury victims need to communicate their discomfort to treating physicians. Certain soft tissue injuries can cause complications months following a car accident, so car accident victims may require substantial follow-up medical care.

Sprains

Ligaments are bands of connective tissue in the body that support the body’s joints. When ligament experience a tear or stretch, it results in a sprain. The areas of the body most vulnerable to sprains include ankles, knees and wrists. When the foot turns inward, it puts extreme pressure on the ligaments of the outer ankle, which can cause sprain. Sprain wrist often occurs when someone falls on an outstretched hand and a sprained knee can occur form a sudden twist. If a sprain is mild, it can heal through rest, ice, compression and elevation combined with exercise.

Strains

While a combination of muscles and tendons support the bones, the tendons connect the muscle to the bones. Usually occurring in the foot or leg, strain is injury to either the muscle or tendon. In some cases, the strain is a stretch in the muscle or tendon. But, in other cases, the strain is a partial or complete tear. Similar to sprains, treatment for strains incudes rest, ice, compression and elevation followed by exercise.

Contusion

When someone experiences direct force to a muscle, tendon or ligament, it may result in a bruise known as contusion. The bruise results from blood accumulating in the injury site and discoloring the skin. If the contusion is present for a long period of time, medical care may be necessary to prevent permanent soft tissue damage.

For more than 25 years, Hameroff Law Firm, P.C. has been standing up for victims of negligence in southern Arizona. Our Tucson personal injury attorney team handles cases ranging from rear-end collisions to wrongful death claims. Call (520) 792-4700 to schedule a free consultation with a Tucson personal injury attorney.