Sprains and Strains: What's the difference?

The terms sprain and strain sometimes seem to be used interchangeably when talking about an injury, but despite being separated by only one letter, the two are actually very different. Want to know what the difference is? Here's the answer according to the Mayo Clinic:

A sprain is the tearing or stretching of ligaments in your body -- these are the tough bands that connect your bones, so sprains happen at your joints, in particular your knees and ankles.

A strain is the stretching or tearing of your muscle or tendon, so a strain is commonly referred to as a pulled muscle. Since it affects muscles, it could happen all over your body but it commonly occurs in your hamstrings of your back.