Have you ever strained a muscle? Your muscles are attached to your bones by tendons. That’s why a muscle and its tendon are called the musculotendinous unit. A muscle strain (or "pulled muscle") occurs when you overstretch or tear a muscle or the tendon that attaches it to the bone. For example, frequent sprinting or jumping might lead to a hamstring strain.
Have you ever sprained your ankle or your wrist? Wrist sprains are common in in-line skating and snowboarding, particularly when the proper safety considerations have not been followed. Sprains are different from strains because sprains are caused by stretching or tearing ligaments—fibrous bands that connect bones in your body. This Web page on repairing knee ligaments contains helpful illustrations showing the anatomy of a knee and knee joint ligaments.
One way to prevent strains and sprains is to perform a gradual warm-up for 5 to 10 minutes before you begin physical activity. Another method is to use progressive resistance training (PRT), which strengthens muscles and ligaments.
