Soft tissue injuries can be a result of car accidents. There are a few different kinds that you could suffer. The way you treat the injuries may affect how quickly you heal.

Why do soft-tissue injuries happen?

Soft-tissue injuries result when a sudden trauma takes place. For instance, being hit by a car causes instant trauma to the body; it could cause contusions, strains or sprains. These injuries are generally minor, but severe injuries could require surgery to repair ligaments or tendons.

What do you do for acute injuries?

Most orthopedic surgeons will tell you to follow the RICE protocol. This protocol includes resting the injury, using ice to reduce swelling, compressing the injury to prevent swelling and blood loss and elevating the affected body part above the heart.

Ice packs are used a few times each day for 20 minutes each time. You may also be instructed not to use the injured body part or bear weight on it. Resting an injured ankle or other body part allows it to heal more effectively.

Are there different levels of sprains?

There are three levels of sprains that are known as grades. A Grade 1 sprain is mild, while a Grade 3 sprain is severe. Grade 1 sprains are only slight stretches to the ligaments or fibers in the area of injury. Grade 2 includes a partial tear of the ligament, while Grade 3 is the complete tearing of a ligament. When that happens, the body part is unable to be used.

What should I do about compensation?

Your attorney can help guide you through a claim. You’ll want to include as much information about the severity of your injury as possible, so that you can be compensated fairly.

Source: OrthoInfo, “Sprains, Strains and Other Soft-Tissue Injuries,” accessed Jan. 08, 2016