Chicago Soft Tissue Injury Lawyers

What are soft-tissue injuries?

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, soft tissue injuries have the following categories:

A contusion

A contusion (bruise) is a soft tissue injury that occurs due to any type of blunt force such as a slip and fall. The symptoms include swelling, pain, and discoloration because there is bleeding into the soft tissue. Contusion treatments include rest, ice, compression, and elevation (R.I.C.E.). Some contusions need more intense medical care.

A sprain

This soft tissue injury involves a partial tear of a ligament. “Ligaments are fibrous, elastic bands of tissue that connect and stabilize the bones.” A twist of the ankle, wrist, or knee can cause a sprain. R.I.C.E is also a common treatment. If there is a complete tear of the ligament, then surgery may be necessary to repair the ligament.

An ankle sprain happens when one or more ankle ligaments stretch beyond their normal range of motion. An ankle sprain can occur due to a sudden twist, turn, or rolling movement.

Tendonitis

This soft tissue injury is an inflammation of the tendon. Your tendon is “a flexible band of tissue that connects muscle to bones.” Tendonitis often occurs at the hand, wrist, elbow, ankle, foot, hip, knee, or shoulder. The treatment for tendonitis includes rest, compression, elevation, and anti-inflammatory medicine. If the injury is acute, ice may also be helpful. Chicago accident victims who have tendonitis generally work with physical therapists who help with strengthening and stretching exercises. If you have chronic tendonitis pain, your doctor may recommend a steroid injection. You may need surgery if there is a complete tear of the tendon.

Bursitis

Bursitis occurs when the bursa (“a fluid-filled sac that provides a cushion between bones and muscles or tendons) becomes inflamed. Direct trauma to a joint can cause both bursitis and tendonitis. The common locations for bursitis include the elbow, shoulder, knee, hip, foot, and ankle. The treatment for bursitis is similar to that for tendonitis - rest, compression, elevation, and anti-inflammatory medicine – and ice if necessary during the acute phase to reduce swelling. If the swelling and pain lasts for a long time, Chicago accident victims may need an injection. If an infection causes bursitis, antibiotics may be necessary.

A stress fracture

A stress fracture is a small bone crack that often happens in the feet, legs, and hip (the parts of the body that bear the weight of the body). The treatments vary depending on the cause. Common treatments include elevation, ice, and anti-inflammatory medicine. Treatment also can include rest, braces, shoe inserts, and, in some cases, immobilization of the fracture with a cast. Surgery may be necessary if the crack in the bone becomes worse.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “the difference between a strain and a sprain is that a strain involves an injury to a muscle or to the band of tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone, while a sprain injures the bands of tissue that connect two bones together.”