Treatment for Sports Injuries at Urgent Care Centers

Treatment for Sports Injuries at Urgent Care Centers

By Gary Steadman

An urgent care center providing a full range of medical services is a good choice for the treatment of sports injuries, which may not be serious enough to take to the emergency room but could need immediate attention. Bruises, bumps, sprains, cuts, strained muscles and fractures are examples of common sports injuries.

Types of Injuries

Sports injuries are defined as acute when they result from external trauma or force. Torn muscles, sprains and fractures are examples of acute sports injuries. Chronic injuries are the result of the repeated stresses and strains to which the body is subjected. Conditions such as tendonitis, runner's knee and tennis elbow are repetitive stress injuries resulting from overuse of particular body parts.

Apart from professional athletes, three demographic groups - children and adolescents, middle-aged adults, and women - are most at risk for sports injuries of all kinds. Prevention and appropriate warm-up routines can go a long way in preventing injuries.

While minor sports injuries can be treated at home through the R.I.C.E. routine (Rest, Ice packs, Compression or pressure, Elevation), more serious injuries and pains need to be taken to a doctor. Some examples of injuries and conditions that should be taken to an urgent care center include: severe pain and swelling, numbness, joints that feel unstable or somehow not normal, minor fractures, inability to put any weight on a limb, inability to stand, or a recurrence of pain from an old injury.

One-Stop Medical Care for Injuries

The professional treatment of injuries of all kinds requires integrated diagnostics, treatment, and follow-up care. Urgent care centers are well equipped to handle and treat sports injuries. They provide a highly qualified and dedicated staff of medical professionals, technicians and administrative staff to oversee all stages of treatment for sports injuries. On-site X-ray and laboratory facilities ensure quick and accurate testing, on which doctors can base their diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

Treatment for sports injuries may require any or all of the following:

Anti-inflammatory drugs - These reduce swelling and pain. The commonest anti-inflammatory drug is aspirin. Other common anti-inflammatory drugs are ibuprofen, naproxen sodium and ketoprofen. A common painkiller is acetaminophen. Acetaminophen will not reduce any swelling you may experience.
Immobilization and rest

In extreme cases, doctors may recommend surgery.

Electro stimulation, heat packs, cold packs, massage and sound waves ultrasound
Rehabilitation involves regular exercise to get the body functioning normally again.

Urgent care centers have on-site pharmacies with all the equipment - bandages, splints, casts, and braces - needed to treat common injuries. At an urgent care center, you will not have a long wait to see a doctor. Urgent care centers are open 24/7 and you don't need to make an appointment. Most insurance plans are accepted, and there are special low-cost treatments offered for those without insurance.

If the injuries are life threatening, the patient should be taken to the ER or you should call 911 immediately.

Gary Steadman is the owner of Doctors Express in St. Petersburg, Florida. If you've experienced a sports injury and need immediate assistance, visit our urgent care clinic for fast relief.

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