Skip the Sports Injury Guesswork: What You Need to Know to Get the Right Care
A sprained ankle at practice. A hard fall on the wrist. A twist of the knee during a weekend game. Sports injuries happen fast, and the next step matters. Unfortunately, it can be tough to know when to go to the hospital or when to use the urgent care services at Sievers Sports Medicine.
Never fear! Our team has prepared a quick guide to common sports injuries. And if you ever have questions about urgent care services, just give us a call. Our friendly staff is happy to help.
Injuries We Can Treat at Sievers Sports Medicine
Our clinic offers on-site X-rays and casting services. Combined with our sports medicine focus, we can treat a wider range of injuries than many other urgent care services. Here are some of the most common.
Suspected Stable Bone Fracture
A stable fracture means the bone is broken but not dangerously shifted. Look for these symptoms:
- Sharp pain right after impact or a fall
- Swelling and tenderness over one specific spot
- Pain that gets worse when you put weight on it or try to use it
- Bruising that spreads over the next several hours
Our team can confirm your fracture using our in-house X-ray machine and provide a cast or splint, depending on your needs. We’ll also provide guidance on safe activity limits and a clear follow-up plan to keep your healing on track.
Sprains and Strains
Sprains are ligament injuries, while strains affect muscles or tendons. They have similar symptoms, so you may be dealing with one or the other if you notice:
- Swelling that shows up quickly after a twist or awkward landing
- Pain that increases with movement, especially side-to-side motion
- A feeling of weakness, instability, or “giving out”
- Soreness that improves with rest but returns when you try to play again
We can provide bracing or wrapping to protect the area, plus swelling control and guidance on your next steps, such as a referral to a physical therapist or other specialist.
Cuts and Lacerations
Sometimes a sports injury can break the skin, especially from falls, collisions, and turf burns. Your cut may need urgent care if:
- It’s deep, gaping open, or won’t stay closed
- Bleeding continues after 10–15 minutes of steady pressure
- The area is on the face, hands, fingers, or joints, where movement can reopen it
- The injury happened on a dirty surface (like turf or gravel) and needs thorough cleaning
Our team can provide wound cleaning and bandaging to reduce infection risk, as well as guidance on returning to practice safely while the skin heals.
Other Joint Injuries
Sometimes the pain feels like a sprain, but the real issue is a small fracture or joint alignment problem. We can perform an X-ray and help you better understand the nature of your injury so you can get the care you need.
Injuries That You Should Take To the ER
Of course, some injuries need immediate hospital-level evaluation. Here are some signs that you might be better off going to the emergency room. Our team can help you after you receive immediate care with regenerative medicine, IV therapy, and other treatment techniques.
Severe Fractures
Go to the ER immediately if:
- The affected area looks severely crooked
- The skin is broken near the injury
- The bone is visible
- The limb feels numb, cold, or looks pale
These can be signs of a serious fracture or circulation and nerve problems that require urgent treatment.
Head and Neck Injuries
These should always be taken seriously, especially if someone loses consciousness, feels confused, or has a worsening headache. Tingling, weakness, or trouble walking after a hit can also signal a more serious injury.
A brief loss of consciousness or mild confusion that is clearly improving does not typically require CT imaging and is often appropriate for a same-day urgent care appointment. However, persistent or worsening symptoms should be evaluated more urgently.
Chest or Abdominal Injuries
These injuries can become dangerous quickly, as internal damage isn’t always obvious at first. Trouble breathing, chest pressure, severe rib pain, or intense abdominal pain after impact should be checked in the ER, even if the injury seems initially manageable.
Don’t Forget Sievers Sports Medicine for Urgent Care After a Sports Injury
Urgent care with our team is often faster and easier than going to the ER. And with our on-site X-rays, casting, and bracing services, you can get answers and treatment without bouncing between clinics.
To learn more about our urgent care services, give us a call today!
Help Us Help More People!
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Recipe of the Month: Blender Banana Spinach Muffins
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 2 medium to large extra ripe bananas (with LOTS of brown spots)
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup or honey
- ⅓ cup dairy free milk of choice (I used almond milk)
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup packed blanched almond flour
- 1 cup oat flour, gluten free if desired
- ¼ cup flaxseed meal
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Optional: 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with 10 muffin liners (we’re only making 10 muffins). Spray the inside of the muffin liners with nonstick cooking spray so the muffins do not stick to the liners.
- Add the eggs, bananas, maple syrup/honey, dairy free milk, spinach and vanilla extract to a large, high powered blender and blend on high for 1 minute or until completely smooth. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the almond flour, oat flour, flaxseed meal, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined. Pour the blended wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until well combined. Feel free to stir in hemp hearts, if using. Divide the batter between the muffin liners.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
Patient Success
“I have seen Dr. Sievers for several years for long standing injuries I have. He and his staff have always done a great job. I totally recommend him to anyone. I’ve even brought my mom to see him all the way from Oklahoma. Dr. Sievers is a very caring, extremely competent physician. I am an orthodontist and have years of training. I can tell you that Dr. Sievers’ knowledge of anatomy is exemplary. He may practice in a small town, but he is a world class practitioner and stays up to date on the cutting edge of regenerative medicine. Portalis is blessed to have him. I can not give a strong enough recommendation for Dr. Sievers’ and his staff. Many years ago I suffered debilitating injuries. I have seen doctors in Colorado, Maryland, Saint Louis, Oklahoma City…and Doctor Sievers’ worked with me tirelessly and did not give up on me when others did. I would not be able to practice today without him. He saved my life. Thank You Dr. Sievers.” – J.B.
Meet Our Team
Dr. Joel Sievers
(MD) Medical Provider
Melisa Valmoria
Physicians Assistant
Maira Luna
Medical Assistant
Brandie Drury
Medical Assistant
Adrian Ontiveros
Medical Assistant
Marisol Wheeler
Radiologic Technologist
Rafealla “Becky” Amalla
Receptionist | Medical Assistant
Flexible Financing with CareCredit
The CareCredit health, wellness, and personal care credit card gives you a convenient, flexible way to pay for care for the whole family—including pets! With everyday promotional financing for purchases of $200 or more, you can pay over time with convenient monthly payments.
Self-Pay Options
- Payment Plans: Understanding that healthcare costs can be significant, we offer payment plans to spread the cost of treatment over time. These plans are flexible and can be tailored to suit your financial situation.
- Competitive Self-Pay Rates: We offer competitive self-pay rates for patients without insurance or those receiving treatments not covered by insurance. Please get in touch with our office for more information on our fees for various services.
Other Payment Methods
- Credit and Debit Cards: We accept all major credit and debit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.
- Checks and Cash: Personal checks and cash payments are also accepted.
- Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA): Payments can be made using funds from your HSA or FSA accounts.
