Types of Soft Tissue Injuries:
Soft tissue injuries can occur anywhere in the body. A few common examples would be: an ankle sprain, elbow tendinitis, knee sprain, or even a thigh contusion. The following are different forms of soft tissue injuries:

• Sprain/strain: A sprain is the stretching and injury of a ligament. Often swelling, discoloration, and/or inflammation result. A strain is very similar but is an injury to a tendon or muscle instead of a ligament.
• Repetitive Stress Injuries:Repetitive stress is overuse of a muscle, tendon or ligament beyond its physical limit. This leads to microtrauma to the area, which often results in swelling, inflammation and pain. Over time repetitive stress can lead to tears in the tissue.
• Contusion: A bruise or an injury where blood vessels are broken and skin discoloration takes place.
• Tendinitis: Inflammation of a tendon, almost always due to overuse, such as tennis elbow.
• Bursitis: Inflammation of a bursa, a sac that eases friction between a bone and a tendon.

Prevention of a Soft Tissue Injury:
Soft tissue injuries cannot always be prevented, especially during athletics. Accidents are going to happen. However, there are a few preventative measures you can take:

• Warm up and stretch before exercise.
• Cool down and stretch after exercise.
• Take a break from exercise when you feel fatigued.
• Do strengthening exercises in areas that are weak and prone to injury.
• Regularly stretch your muscles, not just before and after exercise.
• Most importantly, learn the correct technique for your exercise. Poor form can greatly increase your risk of injury.

Symptoms and Degrees of Soft Tissue Injuries:
Symptoms include: pain, swelling, redness, and bruising, decreased range of motion, tenderness, and inability to apply pressure to the injury.
There are three degrees of a soft tissue injury. They are diagnosed based on the extent of the injury:

• First Degree (mild): Stretching and microtearing
• Second Degree (moderate): Partial tearing and mild instability
• Third Degree (severe): Severe or complete tearing and significant instability