When you’ve received a sports injury, it’s a good idea to have it checked out at an urgent care clinic. There are walk in clinics available that provide affordable care without the traditional wait of a hospital emergency room. Furthermore, the urgent care physicians and staff at these facilities are experts in emergency care.

Sprains and Strains

If you’re playing volleyball at the beach and twist your ankle, for example, you may have a sprain or another type of injury, especially if you hear that tell-tale pop. You’re probably aware that there’s a difference between a sprain and a strain. According to MedlinePlus.gov, sprains occur when you stretch or tear a ligament. A strain occurs when you stretch or tear a muscle or tendon.

Wounds

Has your board ever gotten away from you when you’re out surfing and come back to hit you in the head? Or perhaps you’ve collided with another surfer’s board or the surfer themselves. When this occurs, injuries can often occur. In some cases, this may include scrapes, bruises, and other minor injuries that don’t require getting stitches. Other cuts and wounds, however, will usually call for getting stitches.

Illnesses and Infections

Even though advisory warnings are usually posted when a beach is contaminated by run-off or other issues, beach-goers may still come into contact with waterborne pathogens. Gastroenteritis, for example, is a common illness that is caused by sewage-polluted water, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Other illnesses may be caused by swimming in the ocean, such as ear, eye, nose, and throat infections. While these may be commonly associated with polluted water, they can also occur when people come into contact with other beach-goers that are ill. The EPA also states that while it may be rare, when someone goes swimming with an open wound, it may become infected when the water quality isn’t optimal.

Visit a Walk-in Clinic

If you’re not sure whether or not your sports injury needs to be evaluated and treated by a physician, it makes sense to receive a medical opinion to make sure everything is okay. Even though you can still limp around on that sore, swollen ankle, it’s better to have it checked out as it may require expert attention.

While getting stitches may or may not be required for that cut or gash, an urgent care physician will be able to determine this. They will also be able to provide the care necessary so that it doesn’t become infected.

When you feel ill after a day at the beach, there may be a variety of reasons for this, such as over-exertion or insufficient hydration. While this may pass in a day or so, seeking medical attention makes sense to determine whether or not there’s something more serious going on.