An urgent care clinic can be a life saver when it comes to immediate care without the wait or expense of a traditional ER. Urgent care clinics get about 3 million visitors a week according to Urgent Care Association of America. With more than 20,000 physicians practicing at urgent care clinics and about 85% of urgent care clinics being open seven days a week its easy to understand why urgent care clinics top the emergency room when it comes to sports related injuries. Read below to see some of the most common sports injuries that urgent care clinics are no stranger to treating.
Sprains
A sprain can occur no matter what sport your are playing. Any number of body parts can be affected from a sprain. The major problem with a sprain, outside of the intense pain, is it can be hard to differentiate between a sprain and a break. This is where urgent care clinics come in handy. With proper imagining doctors can access injuries and reassure patients that it is just a common sprain and nothing is broken.
Concussions
Football season is approaching and concussions are on just about every parents mind. The number of concussions treated is steadily growing and with new evidence on the importance of proper treatment that number could continue to grow. Knowing the signs of a concussion is just as important as getting proper treatment. Concussion treatment has become so popular that it is now advised that children who experience a multiple concussions refrain from playing those sports altogether. If you child experiences confusion, dizziness, fatigue, nausea or slurred speech after a hit to their head they should be examined as soon as possible. The good news is urgent care clinics have staffed trained to check and properly treat concussions without a dreaded trip to the emergency room.
ACL Injuries
The ACL is a ligament that is meant to stabilize the knee. Since majority of sports revolve around the knees and running, it only makes sense that tears of strains to the ACL are common. Instability when walking and pain while turning along with swelling warrant getting the ACL checked out. Head to your nearest urgent care to get the problem checked and get on the road to a full recovery.
Hamstring
Another common issue among athletes is a hamstring strain. The hamstring is three muscles located behind your knee. Overusing it, overstretching or even overextending your leg can cause a strain in your hamstring. The simple act of running is a common cause of a hamstring injury. Walking alone can put pressure on an injured hamstring and delay the healing process. If you suspect a hamstring injury because pain and bruising in the area, make a visit to a local urgent care. The staff is fully able to assess and treat hamstring injuries to athletes both young and old.
Groin Pull
There is a muscle on the inside of the thigh that are positioned similar to a fan. The purpose of these muscles is to help pull the legs together into a closed position. Certain sports require movement that can inevitably injure this muscle. Bruising on either side of the inside of the thigh can signal a groin pull. If you suspect a groin pull have the professionals at an urgent care clinic check the patient out. Groin pulls can take about two weeks to heal, so quick assessment and treatment are vital to start the healing process.
While any athlete of any age playing any sport can experience these or other sports related injuries, there are certain sports with a higher injury rate of the instances described above. Those who participate in football, basketball and soccer are more prone to experience one of the injuries listed above. Athletes who engage in swimming and cycling are also prone to them. Proper stretching before and after practice and playing is important. Remember even if you are in doubt, getting an injury checked is always your best bet if you want to make a full recovery as soon as possible.
