Medical Questions » Muscles, Tendons, Ligaments Questions » Question No. 698
| Question: | How long do torn ligaments take to heal? |
| Answer: | There is no easy answer to this because it depends on how badly torn the ligament is, and which ligament is involved. If a ligament is completely totn through, it will sometimes need to be surgically repaired but always immobilised in plaster.
A partly torn ligament will heal with rest, and immobilisation in a firm bandage or a plaster cast for a few weeks. A ligament that is strained (stretched but not torn) will settle in a few days to a couple of weeks with adequate resr.
The basic rule is to rest the injured joint until all pain has gone and for a week afterwards. Any exercise that causes pain should be avoided. The well inten-tioned advice of some sport coaches to work through the pain of a sprain or strain is not correct.
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