What is involved in the preventive stage?

This is actually not a stage but something that is addressed even from the early recovery period. This consists of a synthesis of knowledge about those factors which predisposed to or caused the injury in the first place. These factors are several:

1) Factors relating to the patient-anatomy, posture, flexibility, or style. For example, patients who are flatfooted are predisposed to develop shin splints. Patients with rounded shoulders tend to develop cervical or scapular muscle strain. People with tight Achilles tendons or hamstrings are more likely to tear leg muscles during strenuous activity.

2) Factors relating to equipment-the running shoes, grip on a racket, seat height and back support, are a few examples of items which may affect the patient's likelihood of injury.

3) Factors relating to activity itself-sports involving rotation are worse-for the low back. Swimming is usually very comfortable for patients with a low back history but may put stress on the neck or shoulder. Often the patient can modify their form or be selective about how they return to their prior activities.

Careful evaluation and consideration of orthotics, change of equipment or surface or compensatory exercise or mechanics, can result in greatly reduced risk of re-injury.

In Summary:

Hopefully this brief outline of sprains, strains, and tears--what they are, how they happen, how they are treated, and how they are prevented-will help all of us to reduce the risk of injury and speed the return to activity so that life can be lived to its fullest.