Fractures on the Field: Sports Medicine Clinic’s Approach to Broken Bones
Despite your best efforts, sometimes injuries happen–and this is especially true for athletes. That said, sports injuries vary, and the type of sport you play will determine the injuries you’re most at risk for. If you play contact sports (i.e., football or rugby), you probably know fractures are a very real possibility. Fortunately, sports medicine for broken bones can get you rehabilitated and back on the field.
“Fracture” is a broad umbrella term that refers to any crack or break in a bone. For example, stress fractures are tiny fissures that generally develop over time. In contrast, a compound fracture is severe enough to break the skin and occurs due to a sudden trauma.
Most bone fractures require immediate medical intervention–something Sievers Sports Medicine offers to the community. Our urgent care services provide immediate sports medicine for broken bones, including full-service casting.
To show you all that we can do, let’s look at Garret’s story, starting with an injury on the field.
Meet Garret, An All-Star Athlete with Big Dreams
Garret was a rising football star at one of our local high schools. He joined the varsity team as a defensive lineman when he was just a sophomore, and he hoped his football career would see him through college on a full scholarship.
But of course, football is an intense sport with a high risk of sports injury. During a practice scrimmage, Garret fell on his wrist during a tackle, snapping the bone. Rather than take him to a crowded emergency room, his parents brought him to us.
Sports Medicine for Broken Bones: Immediate Treatment
Garret’s fracture was severe enough that he needed immediate medical intervention in the form of a cast. With our same-day urgent care services, we could provide Garret with the treatment he needed.
We started with a physical assessment in which our sports medicine specialist carefully examined Garret’s injured wrist and learned more about the accident. We confirmed the diagnosis with our in-house X-ray, which also helped us identify that Garret had suffered a transverse fracture.
As mentioned above, there are several types of fractures. A transverse fracture is one in which the bone is broken along a horizontal line. Fortunately for Garret, a transverse fracture can generally heal within 2-6 weeks with a good cast–and no need for surgery.
That meant we could treat Garret’s broken bone at our clinic. We opted for a full-service cast to immobilize Garret’s wrist as his bones stitched back together.
Sports Medicine for Broken Bones: Rehabilitating Afterward
Although Garret’s injury was relatively minor, he still had to spend time away from the game while his injury healed. And when the cast came off, his forearm was weak from disuse.
We worked with Garret to develop a rehabilitation program to get him back in the game as quickly and safely as possible, including suggesting appropriate exercises to restore his arm strength and providing him with a gradual return to activity that would ensure he didn’t do too much too soon.
Fractures can be scary, but sports medicine for broken bones can help athletes of all ages recover. Our same-day urgent care, casting and splinting services, and overall experience with sports medicine ensure you get the care you need.
Want to learn more about all that Sievers Sports Medicine offers athletes? Request an appointment today!