Ligament Injury
A ligament tear is painful and tender to the touch. You may see swelling and bruising. It may be difficult to move the joint. In the case of some ligaments, you may hear a pop or feel tearing at the time of the injury. You may also experience muscle spasms.
Ligaments support and strengthen joints. Their main function is to keep the bones of the skeleton in proper alignment and prevent abnormal movements of the joints. This will be impaired when a ligament is torn, resulting in looseness in the joint or being unable to move the joint normally.