What type of injury involves stretched or torn ligaments, often affecting joints like the ankle or knee?

A sprain specifically refers to an injury involving stretched or torn ligaments, which are the fibrous connective tissues that connect bones at joints. This type of injury often occurs during physical activities where joints are subjected to excessive force, leading to overstretching or tearing of the ligaments. Common areas affected by sprains include the ankle and knee, where twisting motions or sudden impacts can easily result in such injuries.

In contrast, strains involve muscles or tendons rather than ligaments, fractures pertain to broken bones, and dislocations involve the displacement of bones at a joint, also affecting the supporting ligaments but in a different manner than a sprain. Thus, identifying a sprain highlights the involvement of ligament damage specifically, making it the correct answer in this context.