Many, if not most of my clients who have been injured in a Massachusetts accident suffer from neck and back stains/sprains. This is especially true in auto accident victims. Almost all insurance companies will tell you that neck and back strains/sprains are not serious injuries. That is rubbish! In fact, strains and sprains, depending on their severity, what caused them, and where on the body they are, can be very painful and debilitating. The more you know about strains and sprains, the better you can negotiate your personal injury claim with the relevant insurance adjuster. But more importantly, the more you know about these injuries can greatly assist you in selecting the proper treatment, and helping you manage these injuries.

I found the following on the web site of Dr. Bradley Wolff, a chiropractor in Palm Springs, California:

• Strains – I think we all have a pretty good idea about this one – an overexerted muscle or tendon that might even have some tearing (of the muscle and/or tendon) as well. We have all had them before and we know from experience that they’re usually a lot better after about three days of rest.

Sprains are a totally different animal. With a sprain, a joint is affected and it isn’t pretty. The tissue that surrounds the joint – the joint capsule – may be damaged, maybe even the joint cartilage, but ligaments are always damaged in a sprain. Ligaments are the tough fibers that connect bone to bone; holding it all together. Ligaments are strong, but they don’t like to stretch and they hate to be torn. Sprains differ from strains too because they heal slower, and often require a second and just as important phase of treatment: rehabilitation to restore and prevent problems down the road. FYI: The vertebrae that make up your spine have discs, sure, but when you hurt your back, you almost always sprain one of the joints that connect between back bones.