Complications

Complication
Timeframe
Likelihood
long term
medium

Depends on the initial severity of injury and rehabilitation protocol. Prolonged rest can lead to more fibrosis.

Usually managed by long-term physical therapy. Minimal role for surgical management.

long term
medium

Depends on initial severity of injury. Treatment is mainly conservative, in the form of strengthening exercises.

long term
medium

Inadequate treatment of grade 2 sprains or failure to recognize grade 3 sprains can lead to chronic ligament instability.

Primary repair is often not possible, and nonanatomic surgical reconstruction using autograft or synthetic graft may be needed.

long term
low

No correlation to severity of initial injury. Depends on the type of muscle involved: more in soleus, brachialis, vastus intermedius. Takes 6 months to 2 years to mature.

Surgical excision after maturation is the definitive treatment.

variable
medium

Can be acute or chronic.

Prompt identification and treatment in the form of fasciotomy is necessary in the acute form.

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