sprained OR strained (knee)

[Tamara]

Hi

Just a fragment from a text ‘Dealing with a sport injury’:

…Apply using an ice pack or even a bag of frozen pears wrapped in a towel. Keep in on the sprain or strain for 15 minutes and repeat several times in the first 48 hours. If the swelling and pain do not disappear, …

sprain OR strain…

Even though I’ve had a long look in dictionaries (not medical, though)
with
strain - an injury to a muscle or similar soft part of the body caused by using that part too much
and
to sprain - to cause an injury to a joint in the body by a sudden movement. He hasn't broken anything - it's just a bad sprain.

But still…

[Yankee]

Hi Tamara

To me, a 'strain' can be an injury that is a result of overuse, misuse or repetitive use. We also talk about "eye strain", for example.

As your dictionary stated, I would consider a 'sprain' to be the result of a (one!) sudden and extreme (and/or unusual) bending of a joint. I do not think it's possible to "sprain your eye".

But, then again, I'm not a medical expert.

Amy

[Mister Micawber]

.
-- So let's try a medical dictionary:

What Is the Difference Between a Sprain and a Strain?

A sprain is an injury to a ligament--a stretching or a tearing. One or more ligaments can be injured during a sprain. The severity of the injury will depend on the extent of injury to a single ligament (whether the tear is partial or complete) and the number of ligaments involved.

A strain is an injury to either a muscle or a tendon. Depending on the severity of the injury, a strain may be a simple overstretch of the muscle or tendon, or it can result in a partial or complete tear.
.
_________________
Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mr. Micawber

[Tamara]

Thank you, Amy and Mister Micawber.

[Yankee]

There's also "brain drain"...

Mr Mic has given us a fundamental difference: injury of ligaments vs injury of muscles and/or tendons.
.

[Sultano]

A strain is exactly what it sounds like: a muscle that has been stretched too far. It's common for people to strain the muscles in their backs, necks, or legs, whereas a sprain happens when those ligaments have been overstretched (mild sprain) or torn (severe sprain). Ankles, wrists, and knees sprain easily.
Strains are not as serious as sprains.
A strain is pain in the muscle, it may start to hurt immediately or several hours later.A sprain will probably start to hurt right away.