Sprain and strain
Meaning of sprain and strain: For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, sprain: (a) means an injury involving the tearing or stretching of one or more joint ligaments, associated with the onset of pain and tenderness at that site within the 24 hours following the injury; and (b) includes complete tear or rupture of a ligament; and (c) excludes recurrent sprain due to joint instability.
Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) — Statement of Principles No. 27 of 2020
At least one of the following factors must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting sprain or strain or death from sprain or strain with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
- (1)experiencing a significant physical force applied to or through the affected joint, at the time of the clinical onset of a sprain to that joint ligament;
Note: Examples of activities and circumstances involving significant physical force applied to or through the affected joint include falls, collisions, lifting weights, running, jumping or stepping down from a height, throwing objects and climbing.
- (2)forceful stretching or high intensity use of a muscle or tendon at the time of the clinical onset of a strain to that muscle or tendon;
Note: Examples of activities and circumstances involving forceful stretching or high intensity use of a muscle or tendon include lifting weights, push ups, pull ups, throwing objects, running, kicking, jumping and climbing.
- (3)experiencing a significant physical force applied to or through the affected joint, at the time of the clinical worsening of a sprain to that joint ligament;
Note: Examples of activities and circumstances involving significant physical force applied to or through the affected joint include falls, collisions, lifting weights, running, jumping or stepping down from a height, throwing objects and climbing.
- (4)forceful stretching or high intensity use of a muscle or tendon at the time of the clinical worsening of a strain to that muscle or tendon;
Note: Examples of activities and circumstances involving forceful stretching or high intensity use of a muscle or tendon include lifting weights, push ups, pull ups, throwing objects, running, kicking, jumping and climbing.
- (5)inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for sprain or strain;
Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsections 9(3) to 9(5) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.
Balance of Probabilities (BoP) — Statement of Principles No. 28 of 2020
5 factors
At least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, sprain or strain or death from sprain or strain is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
- (1)experiencing a significant physical force applied to or through the affected joint, at the time of the clinical onset of a sprain to that joint ligament;
Note: Examples of activities and circumstances involving significant physical force applied to or through the affected joint include falls, collisions, lifting weights, running, jumping or stepping down from a height, throwing objects and climbing.
- (2)forceful stretching or high intensity use of a muscle or tendon at the time of the clinical onset of a strain to that muscle or tendon;
Note: Examples of activities and circumstances involving forceful stretching or high intensity use of a muscle or tendon include lifting weights, push ups, pull ups, throwing objects, running, kicking, jumping and climbing.
- (3)experiencing a significant physical force applied to or through the affected joint, at the time of the clinical worsening of a sprain to that joint ligament;
Note: Examples of activities and circumstances involving significant physical force applied to or through the affected joint include falls, collisions, lifting weights, running, jumping or stepping down from a height, throwing objects and climbing.
- (4)forceful stretching or high intensity use of a muscle or tendon at the time of the clinical worsening of a strain to that muscle or tendon;
Note: Examples of activities and circumstances involving forceful stretching or high intensity use of a muscle or tendon include lifting weights, push ups, pull ups, throwing objects, running, kicking, jumping and climbing.
- (5)inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for sprain or strain;
