Strains are injuries to muscle or tendons (which connect muscle to bone) due to overstretching. Sprains involve a stretch or a partial tear of ligaments (which connect two bones). Sprains and strains happen more often in teens than in younger children. Signs and Symptoms pain in the joint or muscle swelling and bruising warmth and redness of the injured area trouble moving the injured part What to Do Make sure your child stops activity right away. Think R.I.C.E. for the first 48 hours after the injury: Rest: Rest the injured part until it's less painful. Ice: Wrap an icepack or cold compress in a towel and place over the injured part immediately. Continue for no more than 20 minutes at a time, four to eight times a day. Compression: Support the injured part with an elastic compression bandage for at least 2 days. Elevation: Raise the injured part above heart level to decrease swelling. Give your child ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain and swelling. Get Emergency Medical Care if Your Child Has: severe pain when the injured part is touched or moved continued trouble bearing weight more bruising numbness or a feeling of "pins and needles" in the injured area a limb that looks "bent" or misshapen signs of infection (increased warmth, redness, streaks, swelling, and pain) a strain or sprain that doesn't seem to be improving after 5 to 7 days Think Prevention! Teach kids to warm up properly and to stretch before and after exercising or participating in any sport, and make sure they always wear appropriate protective equipment. Back to Articles Related Articles Sports Medicine Center Get tips on everything from finding the best sport for your kids to preventing and handling injuries. Read More A to Z: Sprain, Wrist A sprain is the stretch or partial tear of ligaments (which connect two bones). A wrist sprain happens when the ligaments that support the wrist bend or twist too far. Read More Hamstring Strain A hamstring strain happens when one or more of the muscles in the back of the leg gets stretched too far and starts to tear. Find out how to treat hamstring strains in this article for teens. Read More Knee Injuries Healthy knees are needed for many activities and sports and getting hurt can mean some time sitting on the sidelines. Read More Sports and Exercise Safety Playing hard doesn't have to mean getting hurt. The best way to ensure a long and injury-free athletic career is to play it safe from the start. Find out how. Read More Dealing With Sports Injuries You practiced hard and made sure you wore protective gear, but you still got hurt. Read this article to find out how to take care of sports injuries - and how to avoid getting them. Read More A to Z: Sprain, Knee A knee sprain happens when a ligament is stretched or torn because the knee gets twisted, bent, or hit. Read More Groin Strain A groin strain is when one or more of the muscles in the inner thigh gets stretched, injured, or torn. Find out what to do for groin strains. Read More Preventing Children's Sports Injuries Participation in sports can teach kids sportsmanship and discipline. But sports also carry the potential for injury. Here's how to protect your kids. Read More Going to a Physical Therapist Physical therapy uses exercises and other special treatments to help people move their bodies. Find out more in this article for kids. Read More Knee Injuries Knee injuries are common among young athletes. Learn about causes, treatments, and prevention. Read More Ankle Sprains A sprained ankle is a very common injury that happens when the ligaments that support the ankle get overly stretched or torn. Find out how to avoid ankle sprains and what to do if you get one. Read More Strains and Sprains Sprains and strains are common injuries, especially for people who play hard or are into sports. Find out what they are and how to recuperate from one. Read More Stretching You may have heard mixed things about stretching before working out. Here are the cold, hard facts on warming up, stretching, and cooling down. Read More Achilles Tendonitis If the tendon just above your heel becomes swollen or irritated due to overuse, it can lead to a painful condition called Achilles tendonitis. Find out how to treat it - and prevent it. Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2021 KidsHealth®. All rights reserved. Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.