Symptom Definition

A sprain causes pain and swelling in the joint, sometimes accompanied by bruising. The severity of the sprain depends on the symptoms:

• In a mild sprain, the pain is bearable and the person can still move, the swelling does not appear until the next day or after a few hours, and the stretching of the ligaments does not cause ecchymosis.
• In a moderate sprain, the pain limits movement, the joint swells in less than 4 hours and there is bruising.
• If the sprain is severe, the person has severe pain and a popping sensation, and has great difficulty moving the joint. Bruising and swelling appear within minutes.