ABSTRACT
The whole gamut of soft tissue pain problems, from simple back or neck strain/sprain to severe cases of fibrositis or the complex and devastating problems of the severe myofascial pain syndromes, form a continuous pathway that may stop at any point of evolution or become more complex with the passage of time. Soft tissue refers to muscle, tendon, or ligament. Strains and sprains occur as a result of either overstretching or tearing a soft tissue structure such as a muscle, tendon, or ligament. A strain occurs when a muscle, ligament, or tendon is overworked or overstretched. It involves excessive effort or undue force. There may be localized pain and swelling in the area of the strain. Heat or ice plus massage and diathermy are used to soothe the injured tissues. Most strains and sprains have a good prognosis and will resolve uneventfully in a maximum of 5–8 weeks.
