Sports are a way of life for the active person; however, so are some of the many small and large injuries that can occur as a result of engaging in any vigorous activity. The best solutions are actually preventative measures, but if that fails, you need to be able to obtain help quickly to avoid having an injury turn into a chronic issue.
Here, we’ll take a look at some of the most common sports injuries that occur during the winter months, when the cold makes it a bit harder to warm up your muscles before engaging in exercise.
Knee Injuries
Although you can, of course, injure your knee at any time of the year, snow and cold-related activities such as skiing, snowboarding, and ice hockey are particularly focused on the legs. Because you’re putting a lot of pressure on them, improperly prepared muscles in that region and bad form can lead to accidents. Maryland winters can be brutal, and if you’re in the Silver Spring or Kensington areas, Fast Track Urgent Care is ready to address sports injuries quickly and efficiently.
Head & Body Injuries from Sledding
If you crash into a tree while sledding, you are at risk of head injuries and broken bones. Nearly everyone who has ever gone sledding for a prolonged period of time has gotten such injuries at least once; it’s the severity that differs. Take precautions and engage in best practices, such as avoiding stomach sledding, to better preserve your physical integrity.
Dislocations
These aren’t usually as bad as breakages, but they certainly can be as painful. In medical parlance, they’re known as luxation and occur when a bone is forcefully misaligned during an activity. Any of the winter sports that you play can result in one, and they often require emergency treatment because of damage to the joint tissue. Your fingers, shoulders, and hands tend to be the body parts that are most prone being dislocated, but either of your legs can suffer from this, too.
Shin Splints
If you’re a runner, then chances are you’ll be doing most of your running on hard indoor surfaces during the colder weeks of the winter months. This is one of the primary contributors to shin splints, which is marked pain that occurs on your tibia bone as a result of several factors. Warming up before you run can help significantly, as well as making sure that you have good running technique. Your running gear, especially your shoes, also help a good deal.
Visit an Urgent Care Clinic for Sports Injuries in Maryland or DC
If you live in Maryland or Washington, DC, and suffer any of the above sports injuries, then Fast Track Urgent Care is happy to be your source of speedy, high-quality medical care. We have two walk-in clinics so that you don’t need an appointment; just head over, and a fully licensed healthcare professional will be with you shortly.
For sport physicals or any other medical service you may need, contact us online or call (800) 417-1164 today!