Twisted or wrenched a joint or ligament in your body, causing pain and swelling but not breaking the bone.
From Old French 'spreindre' or 'espreindre,' possibly from Latin 'exprimere' (to press out). The medical meaning became standard in the 1500s to describe ligament injuries.
Sprains are tricky because they don't show up on X-rays like fractures do—ligaments are 'invisible' to radiation. Athletes often say a bad sprain hurts more than a break because there's nothing to brace and protect.
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