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Ligaments
Ligaments are the strong tissues that connect a bone to another bone. Ligaments are very important in joint stability, by holding the bones in a joint together.
Excessive tension on a ligament will cause injury, also known as a sprain: A grade 1 sprain is a stretch injury to the ligament, without damage to its structure. These injuries typically heal rather quickly, with little long-term problems. A grade 2 sprain involves microscopic damage to the ligament, but the ligament remains structurally intact. These painful injuries will usually heal well, but often the joint needs to be supported while the ligament heals, up to 6 or 8 weeks. A grade 3 sprain involves actual disruption of the ligament, and may render a joint unstable. Depending on the location of the injury, the ligament may or may not heal on its own, and surgery to repair the ligament may be necessary for these injuries.
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