Spraining
/spreɪnɪŋ/
verbB1present participle
Definition
Spraining is the action of twisting or stretching a joint too far, which can hurt the ligaments (strong bands that hold bones together). It often happens during sports, walking, or sudden movements, causing pain, swelling, and difficulty moving the joint.
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See It in Action
The action of injuring a joint by twisting it too far
- •She is spraining her ankle while running on the uneven ground.
- •Be careful not to sprain your wrist when you catch yourself falling.
- •Spraining a joint can cause swelling and difficulty walking.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "spraining" like "twisting," but it hurts inside the joint because the ligaments are stretched or torn
- ✓Picture stepping on a rock wrong and your ankle suddenly turning in a painful way
- ✓It's the feeling when you try to move but the joint hurts and feels weak or swollen
- ✓Sounds like "sprain" → imagine "spray" + "pain": a quick spray of pain in your joint when you twist it badly
- ✓Imagine a soccer player suddenly twisting their ankle and falling down, holding their leg in pain
- ✓NOT like "breaking" (breaking means a bone is cracked or broken), spraining hurts ligaments, not bones
- ✓NOT like "bruising" (a bruise is a skin injury), spraining affects inside the joint
- ✓NOT like "stretching" gently, spraining is a sudden, painful stretch beyond normal limits
Try Other Words
- •Twisting: turning something around (Use when the movement may or may not cause injury)
- •Injuring: causing harm or damage (Use when you want a general word for hurting the body)
- •Straining: stretching muscles or ligaments too much (Use when the injury is more about muscles, less about joints)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: sprain (root) + -ing (present participle suffix meaning ongoing action)
- •Etymology: "Sprain" comes from Old French "espraindre," meaning to stretch or wrench
- •Historical development: Used since Middle English to describe a joint injury caused by twisting or wrenching
- •Modern usage: Commonly used in medical and everyday language to describe joint injuries during sports or accidents
Reflect & Connect
•How can you prevent spraining a joint during daily activities or sports?
•What is the difference between spraining and other injuries like breaking or bruising, and why does it matter?
Fill in the blanks
1.When spraining your ankle, you usually feel sudden ___ and may have trouble ___.
2.Spraining happens most often when a joint moves ___ its normal range of motion.
3.Unlike breaking a bone, spraining affects the ___ inside the joint.
4.Athletes often sprain their wrists or ankles because of quick ___ or ___.
5.After spraining, it is important to ___ the joint and avoid ___ to help healing.
6.Spraining is different from straining because spraining injures ___, while straining hurts ___.
7.If you feel pain and swelling after twisting, you might be ___ your joint.