If you have children involved in sports, you know that injuries come with the territory of competition. While we do what we can to help prevent them, injuries are inevitable.

How would you react if your child accidentally got hurt while on the court or field? Our talented team at AFC Urgent Care Cleveland is well-versed in sports injuries and can help you on the path to wellness with the tips below.

What Sports Are Most Dangerous?

High-contact sports like football and basketball typically carry the highest risk for injury. The close contact and highly competitive nature is the perfect recipe for an injury. However, that doesn’t mean other, lower contact sports don’t have risk.

Whenever your child is active, he or she is at a higher risk for injury. We discuss the most common injuries and some recovery tips below.

Common Sports Injuries

• Sprains and strains: Frequent pivoting and twisting leads to these types of injuries.
• Overuse injuries: Repeated motion like pitching a ball or swinging a golf club can cause these injuries.
• Stress fractures: Tiny fractures can occur when the muscle can no longer support absorbing the stress on the bone.
• Head or neck: When the head and neck is concerned, injuries are taken very seriously as they can be severe.

Can You Prevent Getting Hurt in Sports?

Seeing us for a sports physical is the best first step to preventing injury. Physicals are typically required to be on file by each school, so we can make sure your child is healthy enough to play!

After your child passes a physical, encourage him or her to stay hydrated and eat right, as well as take the time to warm up and cool down before any practice or game. It’s also important to wear sport-specific equipment and use proper technique.

How to Heal After An Injury

• Using the popular RICE acronym can help prevent the injury from getting worse—Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevate!
• Keep a close eye on any significant bruising or other more severe symptoms.
• Come by for an X-ray and to see one of our staff members. X-rays give us a better picture of what is going on inside.

Did your child recently suffer a sports-related injury? Visit our AFC team to get an X-ray—no appointment necessary!