Indulging in sports can lead to causing temporary and sometimes permanent injuries. Sports injuries can result from a specific incident or cause over time. The most common causes of sports injuries include ill-fitting sporting gear, improper training, inadequate warm-ups, and over-aggressive gameplay.
Acute sports injuries like fractures, strains, sprains, lacerations, and concussions will require you to visit an urgent health care clinic.
Urgent care clinics are equipped with adequate diagnostic equipment and medical staff to provide effective, quick, and economical healthcare when you need attention quickly and cannot wait for the primary care physician. Hence, visiting the best urgent health care near me when you get a sports injury is the best thing to do.
Types of Sports Injuries
Sports inquiries are classified into two categories:
- Acute sports injuries are those that occur at once and without warning. Changing direction while running, colliding with another person, or falling during an activity can cause this type of injury. Urgent care clinics can treat acute injuries caused by such events or accidents as muscle tears, back sprains, sprained ankles, or fractured hands. The most common acute sports injuries include dislocated shoulders, broken bones, muscle strains, knee injuries, bone fractures, rotator cuff tears, etc.
Symptoms of an acute injury will occur immediately and may take several weeks or months to recover. There could be signs of critical damage like swelling, tenderness in the affected area, limited range of motion in the affected area, sudden and intense pain in the affected area, visible bone dislocation or fracturing, and limited range of motion in the affected area.
- Chronic sports injuries occur mostly when people engage in sports that require repetitive motions, like running. These injuries develop over time due to the wear and tear on muscles, joints, and tendons. Some common chronic sports injuries include groin pulls, stress fractures, ankle sprains, tennis elbow, shin splints, runner’s knee, and heel inflammation.
Skipping pre- and post-stretching can strain the muscles and make the person more prone to injury. Hence, it is important to warm up your body before high-intensity athletic output and cool down after the activity. This allows your body to recover effectively. Proper stretching and cooling down after workouts and games can help reduce the risk of chronic sports injuries for any active athlete.
Also, it is important to pay attention to your body and recognize the signs of a new or existing injury. Most injuries are worsened when people ignore the symptoms and do not address the issues. It often leads to further damage and intensity of the damage. Hence, when participating in athletic activities, observe how your body is reacting to the activity level and take breaks if needed.
What Injuries are Treated at an Urgent Care Clinic?
Though most sports injuries are not life-threatening or require an ER trip, they often require immediate medical care and treatment in order to eliminate acute pain and discomfort. Many primary care clinics require an advanced appointment and are not open on the weekends. Hence, an urgent care clinic is a perfect place to receive professional medical attention for quick and affordable recovery.
To Conclude
Urgent care clinics can provide quick and effective sports injury treatment. They have medical teams and access to diagnostic tools for accurate diagnoses. They can also create a customized treatment plan as per your requirements.
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