What is a sprain?

A sprain is a common injury, especially in joints like the ankles and wrists, and it happens when a ligament is stretched or torn. Ligaments are tough, flexible bands of tissue that connect bones to each other and help keep your joints stable. If a joint twists, turns or bends further than it should, the ligament can be overstretched or torn. This is a sprain.

Contrary to popular belief, sprains don’t just happen during sport. They can occur during everyday life too, such as slipping on uneven ground, missing a step or landing awkwardly after a jump. Ankle sprains are the most common, but sprains can also affect other joints, including the wrist, knee, thumb and shoulder.

In this guide, we give you more insight into what a sprain is and how it’s different from a strain. We also look at how long recovery can take, and what you can do at home to manage pain and support healing.

What are sprains?

Sprains vary in severity, depending on how much the ligament has been damaged. Healthcare professionals sometimes describe them in grades (grades I-III), but for most people it’s more helpful to think of sprains as mild, moderate or severe.

• A mild sprain happens when the ligament is stretched but not torn. The joint may feel sore or stiff, but it usually remains stable.
• A moderate sprain involves a partial tear of the ligament. Swelling, bruising and pain are more noticeable, and the joint can feel weak or less secure.
• A severe sprain means the ligament is badly torn. This can cause significant swelling, bruising and difficulty putting weight on the joint.

Common symptoms of a sprain include:

• pain around the joint
• swelling
• tenderness
• reduced movement.

Bruising may also appear, sometimes spreading away from the injury site over a few days, with swelling often increasing during the first 24 to 48 hours, before it starts to settle.

Early care and pain relief

Many mild to moderate sprains can be managed at home, with a short period of rest combined with simple self-care recommended to reduce pain and swelling in the early stages. This usually includes:

• resting the joint and avoiding painful movements
• using cold packs for short periods to help swelling
• using heat therapy products after a few days
• keeping the joint supported and raised when possible.

Once the initial swelling has started to reduce, gentle movement becomes important. Keeping a joint completely still for too long can lead to stiffness and slower recovery.

At this stage, some people choose to use a topical pain relief product as part of their routine. Ralgex products, for example, are designed to help ease muscular aches and pains around joints, producing a warming sensation that many people find comforting when an area feels stiff or sore. As with all topical treatments, Ralgex should be used exactly as directed on the pack and not applied to broken or irritated skin.

It’s important to be clear that warming products do not heal ligaments. Instead, they can support comfort as you return to normal movement.

What is the difference between a sprain and a strain?

Sprains and strains are often confused because they can feel very similar. The key difference lies in the type of tissue involved.

A sprain affects a ligament, which connects bone to bone and supports a joint. A strain affects a muscle or a tendon (the tissue that connects muscle to bone). For example, rolling your ankle usually causes a sprain, while overstretching a hamstring muscle while running is more likely to cause a strain.

Both injuries can cause pain, swelling and reduced movement. Because symptoms overlap, it’s not always easy to tell the difference without medical advice, especially if pain is severe or movement is very limited.

How long does a sprain last?

Recovery time depends on how serious the sprain is and which joint is affected. However, many mild sprains start to feel better within one to two weeks. Moderate sprains can take several weeks to settle, while severe sprains may take six to twelve weeks or longer to fully recover.

Even when pain improves quickly, ligaments take time to heal. Soft tissue healing often continues for around six weeks, which is why gradual return to activity is recommended.

Gentle movement and strengthening exercises, introduced at the right time, help restore stability and reduce the risk of future injury. During this recovery phase, some people use warming products before or after light movement to ease surrounding aches and stiffness.

Ralgex® Pain Relief Cream is one option for this usage, containing the clinically proven warming ingredient methyl salicylate to increase blood flow to the affected area. This helps to relieve stiffness and pain in and around the sprain, delivering targeted relief right where it’s needed.

Alternatively, for when you’re out and about, Ralgex® Heat Spray may be more convenient. Coming in an easy-to-apply spray format, this formulation contains four warming ingredients to penetrate deeply to the source of discomfort, making movement easier over time.

Trusted by generations for over 75 years, Ralgex has muscle and joint pain covered.

When to seek help

The NHS advises seeking medical advice if you cannot put weight through the joint, the pain is severe, the joint looks misshapen or symptoms are not improving after a few days. Getting the right advice early can help prevent long-term problems.