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(February 2010)| |Classification and external resources| A
sprained ankle with bruising. A sprain is an injury in a joint,
caused by the ligament being stretched beyond its own capacity.
A muscular tear caused in the same manner is referred to as a
strain. In cases where either ligament or muscle tissue is torn,
immobilization and surgical repair may be necessary. Ligaments
are tough, fibrous tissues that connect bones to other bones.
Sprains can occur in any joint but are most common in the ankle
and wrist. - Decreased ability to move the limb - If the
ligament is ruptured, one may hear a popping sound - Difficulty
using the affected extremity - First degree sprain - is a tear
of only a few fibers of the ligament. - Second degree sprain -
is a tear of part of a ligament, from a third to almost all its
fibers. - Third degree sprain - is a complete tear of the
ligament. The diagnosis of a sprain injury is made by a physical
examination. In most cases