There are few things that remain constant in this world. Unfortunately, sports-related injuries are among them.
As any athlete will tell you, incurring a sports injury is quite common. The most common types of sports injuries are related to the musculoskeletal system, including your bones, muscles, and other connective tissue. Many of these types of sports injuries can be treated at an urgent care facility, including:
Sprains
Bones are connected together by strong fibrous tissue called ligaments. When these bands of tissue are overstretched, the result is a sprain or even a tear. Either is quite painful. Inflammation and bruising are also common. Ankle sprains are possibly the most common type occurring as a result of trauma during a sports activity. Although sprains are painful, it’s not usually a reason to visit a hospital emergency room. Simple sprains can be treated at home with RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevating the affected area). More serious sprains require a closer look and diagnosis, since they might require surgery. Doctors at Patient Care Now Urgent Care can identify the severity of your sprain.
Strains
Strains are often confused with sprains. While each can be treated in an urgent care facility, a strain is defined as an injury that affects the muscle or the tissues that connects muscle to bone. Like sprains, symptoms of a strain include swelling, pain, and bruising of the affected area. Muscle strains may also be treated at home, with rest, and ice alternating with heat. Your health care provider may suggest taking an anti-inflammatory drug to reduce swelling and pain. If necessary, he or she may also order an X-ray to determine if the strain warrants more advanced treatment.
Knee Injuries
The knee is the largest joint in the body. The complexity of the knee joint, which involves three distinct parts, makes it susceptible to sports injuries. Sudden turns, stops, or a traumatic blow can result in severe knee injuries, even one that requires surgery. Knee injuries are so common that in the United States alone, 5.5 million people each year will visit an orthopedic surgeon.
Concussion
A blow to the head can cause one of the scariest of all sports injuries. A concussion is when the brain is shaken. It is imperative to seek immediate medical attention by a health care provider with experience treating concussions. Symptoms of concussion include headache, confusion, sensitivity to light, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. A person with a concussion may exhibit a few or all of these symptoms. Board-certified emergency medicine physicians at Patient Care Now Urgent Care can identify whether (or when) it is safe to return to regular activities and sports. If further evaluation is necessary, the doctor will refer you to an orthopedist or neurologist.
Bone Fractures
Breaking a bone is a serious sports injury. However, some fractures are more serious than others. Whether or not a broken bone can be treated at an urgent care facility depends on severity of the break. Minor fractures are treatable, but fractures that cause breaks in the skin are more serious and will may require additional treatment, including surgery.
Patient Care Now Urgent Care is open 365 days a year and available to your athlete in the event of a sport or other injury. Doctors are also available to perform sports physicals.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, just walk-in to our clinic in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, or call (267) 202-6433.
