Subacute/Acute/Chronic

An injury is defined as either acute, subacute or chronic, depending on the stage of healing and the symptoms.

However, it's more accurate to define the stage of healing by the symptoms you see and feel, rather than a textbook definition of when a specific stage begins and ends.

For example, an acute injury is defined as the first 72 hours after an injury. But if you sprain your ankle and continue to kick a soccer ball around, your acute stage could last longer because you're irritating the tissue and prolonging the inflammation and other symptoms.

Also note that if you have an old (chronic) injury and it flares up, it is considered acute again.

ACUTE:
The acute phase of an injury is usualy defined as the first 72 hours after an injury. An acute injury may include some or all of the following:
- Most significantly: INFLAMMATION = Redness and swelling(However - note that with injury an to very deep or poorly vascularized areas swelling and may not be noticeable.)
- Sudden, severe pain
- The inability to bear weight (for example: not being able to step on your foot without pain.)
- Decreased mobility (for example: you suddenly can't lift your arm up as far as you used to.)
- Muscle spasm
- Extreme weakness
- Visible dislocation or break of a bone
- Red, black, blue bruising

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SUBACUTE

Usually defined as 3 days to three weeks after an injury.

May include some of all of the following:
- Fragile scar tissue forming (Your body is regenerating and developing new tissue)
- Yellow, green and brown bruising
- Range of motion increases
- Inflammation decreases

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CHRONIC

Usually defined as any time after three weeks.

May include some or all of the following:
- Pain with movement is dull or achy, not sharp.
- Pain at the very end of a range of movement.
- Dull ache at rest
- Bruising is gone
- Signs of inflammation are gone
- Scar tissue is maturing

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