02/25/2019 / By Mary Miller
Imagine hiking in the middle of the woods with a friend. You are both careful, but the terrain is rough and rocky. Suddenly, your friend trips and falls. You go check on your friend, and make sure that no bones are broken. However, as your friend tries to stand up, he or she experiences a sharp pain in the knees and falls back down. Your friend has just suffered a knee sprain. You are both miles away from civilization. What are you going to do now? (h/t to SurvivalSullivan.com).
Ligaments are the strong, connective tissues that connect two or more bones at a joint, most commonly in the knees and ankles. They are meant to hold your bones in place and restrict movement. If the ligaments either get stretched or torn, this is what results in a sprain. Strains are similar injuries that involve the tendons, which are tissues that connect muscles to the bone. You will know if your friend is suffering from a knee sprain or strain if he or she exhibits common sprain symptoms such as pain, swelling or inflammation, and restricted range of motion. Both injuries are also often accompanied by a popping or snapping sound when they first happen. Knee sprains are not as severe or serious as fractures and broken bones, since it is often only one or more of the four supportive ligaments that get damaged, rather than the joint or the bone itself. However, this injury should still be properly treated to prevent further damage which could lead to arthritis and other disabilities later on. (Related: Medical preparedness: How to treat minor injuries in the field.)
Your main goal in treating a knee sprain is to reduce the amount of swelling in the affected area until help can arrive. The RICE principle is an easy-to-remember acronym that can help you remember what to do in case of joint injuries, such as sprains or strains. Here is what you need to do to treat your friend’s knee sprain:
If your friend is experiencing severe pain and inflammation, you can give him/her some ibuprofen or acetaminophen to alleviate the symptoms. Once you are both back in civilization, make sure to have the injury looked at by a medical professional. If a sprain is neglected, it may eventually develop further complications.
Be prepared for any medical emergencies when SHTF by going to Preparedness.news.
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