For anyone who participates in sports activities, they understand injuries are a part of the game. So, when an injury occurs what healthcare provider should you go to first to get medical treatment? Urgent care clinics provide an amazing healthcare option to treat sports injuries for several important reasons.
First, urgent care clinics provide high-quality medical care provide much faster than your personal doctor (or general practitioner) because you don’t have to schedule an appointment – you can just walk in. Walk-in clinics provide diagnostic services, X-rays, and lab testing to provide accurate diagnosis and customized treatment plans to get you feeling better and on the road to recovery as quickly as possible.
Second, urgent care is a much more affordable option than visiting an emergency room for treatment. Most urgent care is covered by insurance, and providers (like Integra Urgent Care) accept insurance from most major carriers. Also, Integra Urgent Care offers competitive self-pay rates.
So, if you or your family members participates in sports, find a trusted urgent care clinic nearby to go to if/when an industry occurs that needs professional medical care. Choosing an urgent care for treatment after a sports injury offers a fast response time at a significantly lower cost than an emergency room.
9 Common Sports Injuries (for Adults & Children)
- Strains & Sprains – A strain, commonly called a ‘pulled muscle,’ occurs when a muscle is stretched beyond its limits. It may take a few weeks for a strain to heal completely. A sprain occurs when your ligaments stretch or tear. It can take a month or more for a sprain to heal.
- Contusions (Bruises) – Contusions occur when a part of the body falls or meets another hard surface, such as the ground or the body of another player. The contact crushes the muscle fibers underneath, leaving the injured section weak and stiff for several days to a week.
- Knee Injuries – Knee injuries cause trauma to tissues, joints, and ligaments that make up your knee joint. Common injuries of are tears, sprains, dislocations, and fractures.
- Dislocations – Dislocations (or joint injuries) happen when the endings of two connected bones are dislodged from their usual position from a forceful impact. Treatment involves locating the joints back into place by a medical professional.
- Concussions – A concussion is a brief loss of usual brain function. It happens when a collision or fall causes the brain to bang against the skull. Concussions can occur during many different sports activities and accidents.
- Fractures (Broken Bones) – A fracture involves a crack in the bone. Fractures are usually extremely painful, and pain levels usually increase with movement. Therefore, it’s important to secure the affected area after an injury to limit movement and additional damage.
- Hip Flexor Strain – Hip flexor strains occur during overuse or sudden movements that cause muscles or tendons to “pull” and become inflamed and painful.
- ACL Injury – This type of injury occurs when the ACL ligament that attaches the thigh bone and shinbone tears. Depending on the severity of the damage and your daily activity level, your injury might require surgery and significant physical therapy.
- Strained Groin – A groin strain (or pull) occurs when one of the inner thigh muscles tears or is injured. Both mild and severe groin strains only heal with proper rest and specific physical therapy exercises.
Treatments for Sports Injuries at Urgent Care Clinics
An urgent care clinic, like Integra Urgent Care in the DFW area, provides immediate, professional medical treatment. Urgent care allows patients to simply “walk in” and wait their turn to be seen by a medical professional. Patients at an urgent care clinic will receive a prompt diagnosis and a tailored treatment plan based on their condition. So, unless you are experiencing a medical emergency that required a visit to an ER, seeking treatment for a sports injury at an urgent care center is a safe and effective option to feeling better quickly.
Here is how urgent care clinics treat the following sports injuries:
- 1. Strains and sprains – A medical professional will examine the injured area to diagnose the severity of the damage. X-rays can be administered to identify a fracture(s) or additional damage that need to be addressed. Depending on the area of the injury, it will be professional secured before the patient is released. A healthcare professional will offer instructions to take care of the injury and promote healing and prescribe any medications if applicable for pain or swelling.
- 2. Contusions – A healthcare professional will examine the injured area to diagnose the severity of the damage and ensure the injury does not pose any additional (or long-term) risks. X-rays can be administered to identify a fracture(s) or additional damage that need to be addressed. A medical professional will offer instructions to take care of the injury and promote healing. Based on the pain level, medications might be prescribed.
- 3. Knee injuries – A medical professional at an urgent care clinic is a great option to triage an injury and determine its severity. X-rays can be administered to identify a fracture(s) or additional damage that need to be addressed. For milder sprains and strains, a healthcare professional will offer instructions to take care of the injury and promote healing. Based on the pain level, medications might be prescribed. For more severe injuries, a medical professional will secure the area to minimize any further damage and provide a referral to an orthopedic specialist for further examination and treatment.
- 4. Dislocations – A healthcare professional will evaluate the injury and provide the treatment necessary to place the joint(s) in their correct position. Once a dislocation has been addressed, the injury will be secured by a medical provider who will offer instructions on how to promote healing for the injury.
- 5. Hip flexor strain – Hip flexor strain that comes with severe pain and shooting groin or hip pain needs the emergency room’s attention. If you’re unable to walk or bear weight on the strained hip and have sudden swelling in this area, you need to see emergency care specialists.
- 6. ACL Injury – Urgent care clinics are a great option to triage an injury and determine its severity. X-rays can be administered to identify the location and size of the injury and identify any additional or additional damage that needs to be addressed. A medical professional will secure the area to minimize any further damage and provide a referral to an orthopedic specialist for further examination and treatment. Based on the pain and swelling, medications might be prescribed.
- 7. Strained Groin – Seeking urgent care becomes vital if you experience grade II or III groin strain that involves spasms, swelling, and considerable bruising. The knowledgeable staff and state-of-the-art diagnostic tools like digital X-rays allow you to find the cause behind the pain and appropriate treatment.
When an Emergency Room Visit is Recommended
Urgent care can effectively treat most sports injuries, although some injuries are severe enough that a visit to an emergency room is recommended first. These conditions are:
- 1. Concussions – If your head injury is accompanied by a loss of consciousness, neck pain, seizures, prolonged confusion, numbness in the legs or arms, or vomiting, you should go straight to the emergency room.
- 2. Fractures (broken bones) – Urgent care clinics are a great option to triage an injury and determine its severity. X-rays can be administered to identify the location and size of the fracture(s) and identify any additional or additional damage that needs to be addressed. For minor fractures, a medical professional at an urgent care clinic will cast the area (if applicable) to ensure the area is secure to allow proper healing. They can also refer you to an orthopedic specialist if needed. If, however, you experience a compound fracture (where the bone breaks through the skin), skip the urgent care clinic, and get to an emergency room as quickly as possible since this is considered a severe injury.
Integra Urgent Care – Urgent Care Provider in Dallas/Fort Worth
Integra Urgent Care is a leading urgent care group in the DFW-area. We operate three state-of-the-art clinics in Las Colinas (Irving), Grand Prairie, and Weatherford. Our qualified doctors and healthcare providers offer care to you and your family 7 days a week, and we are open late on weekdays until 8pm.
We treat a wide range of sports injuries, acute illness care, acute injuries, COVID-19 testing, diagnostic care (such as X-Rays), and physical exams. We also offer online check-in and Telemedicine for your convenience. To schedule an appointment, visit our locations page to find our nearest clinic or call.
- Las Colinas (Irving) # 972.861.5200
- Grand Prairie # 469.340.1710
- Weatherford # 817.596.4313