Although sports injuries can occur at any time of the year, there is a noticeable spike in injuries once children return to school after the summer. Surprisingly, about three out of every five sports injuries occur during a practice session and not during a game. Many parents whose children become injured while playing sports choose to seek treatment at a medical urgent care facility.
About 80% of urgent care clinics provide on-site fracture care, and since many sports injuries involve collisions — either with other players or with sports equipment like hockey sticks — parents are increasingly turning to urgent care to treat concussions and injuries due to falls sustained during sporting events and practices.
More than half of all urgent care facilities report wait times of under 15 minutes, and many urgent care centers are owned and operated by physicians or by groups of physicians. Almost all are open past normal doctors’ office hours, and since many sports are played after school and on weekends, many parents pick urgent care instead of an emergency room in the event of a sports-related injury.
About 70% of urgent care centers can provide intravenous fluids in the event of sports-related dehydration, and many rely on up-to-date computer systems for collecting medical test results, ordering prescriptions, and scheduling follow-up appointments for patients if necessary. Medical urgent care is becoming a popular option for parents who do not want to seek treatment for their children at their local emergency rooms.
Every sport has its own risks, no matter the age of the participant, but with over 3 million children sustaining injuries while participating in sports activities every year, parents remain vigilant and concerned about the best methods of treatment. With the increasing popularity of medical urgent care, there are more options for patient care than ever before.