How long will it take for a ligament sprain and soft tissue injury to fully heal?

Written by Wang Fei
Orthopedics
Updated on November 24, 2024
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Ligament strains or soft tissue injuries are common in everyday life, and they also typically require grading. Some minor ligament strains or soft tissue injuries generally heal after about three weeks of rest and immobilization. If a ligament strain or soft tissue injury is very severe, such as when the ligament has reached the level of tearing, or if there is significant bleeding, edema, and swelling at the time of the injury, this indicates a very serious soft tissue injury. In such cases, the duration of immobilization might be much longer, possibly around six weeks. The recovery time for such soft tissue injuries or ligament strains can also be very lengthy, sometimes extending up to three months or even six months.

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Written by Wang Jing
Pediatric Orthopedics
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Can a ligament injury cause the knee to make noise?

Whether the knee will make noise after ligament damage depends on the condition of the ligament damage. If it is an anterior cruciate ligament injury, generally the knee will not make noise. However, if the anterior cruciate ligament injury is combined with damage to the meniscus or cartilage, forming loose bodies, popping noises in the knee joint can occur. If there is damage to the medial or lateral collateral ligaments of the knee joint, which causes instability in the knee joint, this can also lead to popping sounds. If instability of the patella is caused by damage to the patellar ligament of the knee joint, changes in the alignment of the patellar joint during movement can also cause popping noises in the knee joint.

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Written by Wang Jing
Pediatric Orthopedics
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Are calcium tablets useful for ligament injuries?

Calcium supplements do not have a significant effect on the repair of ligament injuries. There are established principles for dealing with ligament injuries. Generally, for minor injuries, reducing movement and stabilizing the affected limb are recommended to allow the ligaments to heal on their own. In cases of severe ligament injuries, such as significant or complete tears that affect joint stability, surgical repair or reconstruction may be necessary. Of course, in the most severe cases, ligament injuries can be accompanied by fractures or other concurrent injuries. While healing fractures require calcium, and during these times the calcium from calcium supplements can serve as a source for fracture repair, typically the calcium intake from a daily diet is sufficient to meet the needs during fracture healing. Therefore, taking calcium supplements for ligament injuries does not have a significant effect.

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Written by Wang Jing
Pediatric Orthopedics
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Can I drink yogurt with a ligament injury?

After a ligament injury, the treatment varies depending on the severity of the injury. However, in the acute phase, the main treatments include immobilization and elevation of the affected limb. As for what medications to take or what foods to eat to promote healing of a ligament injury, currently, there are no foods found to have a significant promoting effect on ligament recovery, nor are there common everyday foods that hinder ligament repair. Of course, we still recommend avoiding spicy foods. Therefore, after a ligament injury, it is okay to drink yogurt. There are no contraindications with yogurt, nor is there evidence that yogurt has any beneficial effects on ligament repair.

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Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
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How long does it take for a triangular ligament injury to heal?

The deltoid ligament, as a very important structure on the medial side of the ankle joint, is mainly divided into superficial and deep layers. The superficial layer generally originates from the anterior colliculus of the medial malleolus and is more superficial, making it more susceptible to injury. The deep layer originates from the posterior colliculus of the medial malleolus and is tightly connected with the talus bone, meaning that any injury likely involved significant force. Moreover, once injured, it cannot self-repair except through surgery. So, how long does it take for a deltoid ligament injury to heal? For superficial injuries, with proper immobilization or surgical repair, recovery typically takes about three weeks. For deep injuries, surgical repair can be challenging, and reconstruction is often required, extending the healing time to about six weeks or even three months.

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Written by Li Jin
Orthopedics
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Can I walk if the ligament injury has been a month old?

If you can walk with a ligament rupture, it generally takes about four to six weeks. Ligament rupture usually requires surgical treatment because it can cause dysfunction of joint mobility, so it is mainly treated through surgical repair. Post-surgery, it generally requires immobilization and rest for about four to six weeks. During this time, under the guidance of a physician or physiotherapist, appropriate functional exercises should be performed. Normally, it takes more than four to six weeks to resume regular activities. Beginning functional rehabilitation exercises as soon as possible can help prevent complications such as joint stiffness and tendon adhesion, and promote recovery of function.