Miscellaneous: Sprains & Strains

Risk factors By Mayo Clinic staff Factors contributing to sprains and strains include: Poor conditioning. Lack of conditioning can leave your muscles weak and more likely to sustain injury. Fatigue. Tired muscles are less likely to provide good support for your joints. When you're tired, you're also more likely to succumb to forces that could stress a joint or overextend a muscle. Improper warm-up. Properly warming up before vigorous physical activity loosens your muscles and increases joint range of motion, making the muscles less tight and less prone to trauma and tears