For many non-life-threatening sports injuries, an emergency room isn't necessarily your only option.

At WestsideMed Primary & Urgent Care in Atlanta, we evaluate many common injuries, including sprains, strains, minor fractures, cuts and other musculoskeletal concerns. With on-site X-rays available, our medical team can evaluate your injury and help determine the appropriate next step.

Is It a Sprain, Strain or Broken Bone?

It isn't always easy to tell.

Sprains

A sprain occurs when ligaments—the tissues connecting bones to one another—are stretched or injured.

Common symptoms may include:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Bruising
• Difficulty moving the joint
• Pain when putting weight on the area

Ankle, wrist and knee sprains are particularly common during sports and physical activity.

Strains

A strain involves an injury to a muscle or tendon.

You may experience:

• Muscle pain or tenderness
• Swelling
• Muscle weakness
• Cramping or spasms
• Limited movement

Strains can happen suddenly or develop from repetitive activity.

Fractures

A fracture is a broken bone. Some fractures are obvious, but others can look surprisingly similar to a severe sprain.

Possible signs include:

• Significant pain
• Swelling
• Bruising
• Difficulty bearing weight
• Tenderness directly over the bone
• Limited movement
• Visible deformity

If you're unsure whether an injury is a sprain or fracture, a medical evaluation—and sometimes an X-ray—can help determine what's going on.

How Do I Know If I Need an X-Ray?

This is one of the most common questions we hear after an injury.

You may need further evaluation or imaging when there is significant swelling or bruising, severe or persistent pain, difficulty using the injured area, difficulty bearing weight, tenderness over a bone, or concern for a fracture.

Not every injury requires an X-ray. Your healthcare provider can examine the injury and determine whether imaging is appropriate.

On-Site X-Rays at WestsideMed

WestsideMed offers on-site X-ray services, which means many patients with non-emergency injuries can be evaluated without automatically going to the emergency room.

Depending on the injury and findings, our team can help determine whether you can be treated at WestsideMed or need a higher level of care.

What Should I Do Immediately After a Sports Injury?

First, stop the activity.

Continuing to play through significant pain can potentially make an injury worse.

Until you can be evaluated, protecting the injured area, limiting activities that worsen symptoms, and using cold therapy for swelling may be appropriate for certain injuries.

Most importantly, don't ignore an injury simply because an athlete can still walk, move the joint or “tough it out.”

When something doesn't look or feel right, getting evaluated can provide answers and an appropriate treatment plan.

What About a Hit to the Head?

Head injuries deserve special attention.

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that can occur after a bump, blow or jolt to the head—or even a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly.

An athlete does not have to lose consciousness to have a concussion.

Possible symptoms can include:

• Headache
• Dizziness or balance problems
• Nausea or vomiting
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Vision problems
• Feeling foggy or slowed down
• Difficulty concentrating
• Memory problems
• Unusual fatigue
• Changes in mood or behavior
• Changes in sleep

Some concussion symptoms may not appear immediately and can become noticeable hours or even days after an injury.

“They Seem Fine. Can They Go Back Into the Game?”

If you suspect a concussion, don't send the athlete back into the game.

An athlete with a suspected concussion should be removed from sports participation and evaluated by a healthcare professional.

They should not return to sports on the same day as the injury.

Returning to sports after a concussion should happen gradually and under the guidance of a healthcare provider.

When it comes to a possible concussion, it's better to miss part of a game than risk another injury.

When Is a Sports Injury an Emergency?

WestsideMed can evaluate many non-life-threatening injuries, but some situations belong in the emergency room.

Call 911 or seek emergency care immediately for:

• Loss of consciousness or inability to wake
• Seizures
• Repeated vomiting after a head injury
• Increasing confusion or unusual behavior
• Slurred speech
• Weakness or numbness
• A severe or worsening headache after a head injury
• One pupil that appears larger than the other
• Severe or uncontrolled bleeding
• A bone protruding through the skin
• Severe deformity
• Other rapidly worsening or life-threatening symptoms

When you're uncertain whether a condition is an emergency, prioritize safety.

Injured? You May Not Need the ER.

Many sports and activity-related injuries can be evaluated in an urgent care setting.

At WestsideMed Primary & Urgent Care, we can evaluate many:

• Sprains and strains
• Suspected minor fractures
• Ankle, wrist and other joint injuries
• Muscle injuries
• Cuts and lacerations
• Minor wounds
• Sports-related injuries
• Non-emergency injuries from falls
• Other common musculoskeletal concerns

Services available at WestsideMed include on-site X-rays, wound care, stitches and other appropriate treatments, depending on the injury.

Same-day appointments available. Walk-ins welcome. On-site X-rays.

Don't Forget the Sports Physical

Preventing injuries is just as important as treating them.

WestsideMed also offers sports, school and camp physicals for children and teens.

A sports physical provides an opportunity to review an athlete's medical history and identify concerns that may affect safe participation, such as asthma, previous injuries or other medical conditions.

If your child needs a physical for school or sports, don't wait until the day before the form is due.

Why Choose WestsideMed for an Injury?

When you're hurt, you want answers quickly.

WestsideMed combines urgent care and primary care in one Atlanta practice, giving patients access to immediate evaluation as well as follow-up care when needed.

Our services include:

• Urgent care
• Primary care
• On-site X-rays
• Sports, school and camp physicals
• Wound care
• Stitches and suture removal
• EKGs
• Lab testing
• Asthma care
• Annual wellness visits
• Chronic disease management

If an injury requires care beyond what we can safely provide, we'll help guide you toward the appropriate next level of care.

Your Sports Injury Questions, Answered

Can urgent care treat a sprained ankle?

Many ankle sprains and similar non-emergency injuries can be evaluated at urgent care. Your provider can examine the injury and determine whether additional testing or imaging is appropriate.

Can urgent care take X-rays?

YES, WestsideMed offers on-site X-rays for appropriate injuries, allowing many patients to receive evaluation and imaging in one location.

How can I tell if my ankle is broken or sprained?

The symptoms can overlap. Pain, swelling, bruising and difficulty walking can occur with both. A physical examination and, when clinically appropriate, an X-ray can help determine whether a fracture is present.

Does someone have to pass out to have a concussion?

No. Loss of consciousness is not required for a concussion. Headache, dizziness, nausea, balance problems, difficulty concentrating and feeling foggy are among the symptoms that may occur.

Can my child return to sports after hitting their head?

If a concussion is suspected, the athlete should be removed from play and should not return to sports that day. A healthcare provider should evaluate the athlete and guide a gradual return to activity.

Should I go to urgent care or the ER for a sports injury?

Urgent care may be appropriate for many non-life-threatening sprains, strains, minor fractures, cuts and similar injuries. Severe injuries, serious head-injury warning signs, uncontrolled bleeding, open fractures or other life-threatening symptoms require emergency care.

Hurt? Get Answers.

Don't spend the evening wondering whether an injury is “just a sprain.”

WestsideMed Primary & Urgent Care is here to help Atlanta families, athletes and weekend warriors get evaluated and determine the right next step.

Same-Day Care | Walk-Ins Welcome | On-Site X-Rays

Schedule an appointment with WestsideMed today.

WestsideMed Primary & Urgent Care
2250 Marietta Blvd NW, Suite 306
Atlanta, GA 30318

About the Author

Ariel Esteves, APRN, FNP-BC
Ariel Esteves is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and healthcare leader at WestsideMed Primary & Urgent Care in Atlanta. WestsideMed provides accessible primary and urgent care for individuals and families throughout Atlanta and surrounding communities.

This article is intended for educational purposes and does not replace an individualized medical evaluation. If you believe you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.

Sources

Clinical concussion recommendations in this article are based in part on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) HEADS UP program, including guidance for recognizing suspected concussion, seeking medical evaluation and safely returning athletes to sports.