How To: Treat strains and sprains (British Red Cross)

Although strains and sprains are not a serious injury, they are still very painful for the sufferer, and the only way to make sure they heal properly is to make sure they get immediate attention.

It's difficult to differentiate between a sprain and a strain. A sprain occurs at a joint and involves ligaments – most commonly a sprained ankle. A strain is an injury to muscle or tendons and tends to occur when the muscle is stretched – for instance when playing sport. Luckily the initial treatment for both injuries is the same – the RICE procedure:

R: Rest the injured part
I: Ice – apply ice or a cold pad to the injured area
C: Comfortably support the injury using a bandage or soft padding
E: Elevate the injured part

The British Red Cross designed these first aid videos to help everyone in being prepared and ready to respond to emergencies that may come their way. First aid is very important in making sure injuries don't become worse than they have to… or even life threatening. Rapid response is the best way to help an accident victim's injury and suffering.