Which of the following conditions can be associated with joint injury but does not involve dislocation?

Sprain is the correct answer because it refers specifically to an injury to the ligaments that connect bones at a joint, typically resulting from overstretching or tearing without any dislocation of the joint itself. This type of injury often occurs during activities that involve sudden movements, and while it can be quite painful and may cause some swelling and bruising, it does not involve the complete displacement of the bones that occurs in dislocation.

Strain, although related, pertains primarily to injuries to muscles or tendons rather than ligaments, so it does not fit the context of joint injuries specifically. A fracture involves a break in the bone, which can occur alongside a joint injury but is distinct from a sprain. Dislocation, on the other hand, explicitly involves the bones being displaced from their normal alignment within a joint, clearly illustrating that dislocation is a separate category of injury from a sprain.