What Is an Acute Soft-Tissue Injury? Acute soft-tissue injuries involve sudden damage to muscles, ligaments, or tendons (e.g., muscle tears, ligament sprains, or tendon strains). The goals in early management are to protect the injured tissue, reduce excessive swelling, and support optimal healing. Early Phase (0–48 hours) 1. Rest (Protect) Immediately after injury, reducing load on the tissue helps prevent further tearing and allows the healing process to begin. Early rest a
