Are Sprains and Strain injuries permanent?

Strain and sprains can be permanent. There are 3 grades of a sprain/strain injury:

Grade 1: Overstretching of the ligament that eventually resolves.

Grade 2: Partial tearing of the ligament that does not heal. The ligament repairs with internal scar tissue called adhesions and leaves the joint unstable. This is a permanent change in tissue structure and leaves the joint unstable.

Grade 3: This is a complete tear of the ligament and can require surgery. This leaves the joint very unstable that over time will fill in with adhesions. This too is a permanent scenario.

Doctors are not given the choice of choosing which type of strain/sprain in their diagnosis coding. Many people, including most insurance company adjusters assume that a sprain/strain injury is a grade 1.

Do not cheat yourself. Ask your doctor to clarify which grade the injury is, and if it is a permanent condition or not. These types of injuries can happen in any joint of the body including the spine and all extremities.

Michael L. Saile, Jr., Esq. of Saile & Saile LLP, Attorneys-at-Law focuses his practice on fighting for plaintiffs’ personal injury victim’s rights in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We handle all serious injuries, car accidents (both limited and full tort), wrongful death, slip & fall downs, construction accidents, Septa, NJ Transit, and other cases other cases. We are located just outside of Philadelphia in lower Bucks County. Please visit our personal injury only website at www.pa-nj-injurylawyer.com for more injury information.