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10 Jun 2024In 2022, the incidence rates of sports-related injuries increased by 12%. Football injuries are the most common with baseball/softball and soccer coming in second. Injuries don’t have to happen during a game either. Exercise equipment accounted for 445,642 injuries in 2022
Travel sports are growing in popularity as they allow younger athletes to compete with a larger variety of teams. It’s a great way to make new friends, explore the country, and enjoy your favorite sport. However, it also comes with the hassle of finding the best sports care when you’re on the road.
Premium Sports & Orthopedics has tips on finding the best care if you or your child is injured on the road. We also have tips on injury prevention that you’ll want to incorporate into daily routines.
Have a Plan In Place
Before you travel, see a doctor to make sure vaccinations are up-to-date. It helps to be in the best shape possible, so a quick health check-up isn’t a bad idea. Make sure nothing is underlying that could impact your health in a game.
See if your sports and orthopedic specialist offers IV treatments. You should look into one that recharges the immune system as you will be traveling and playing with other people, which puts you at risk of contracting a cold, flu, or COVID. The more prepared your immune system is, the better.
Ask your doctor for any important medical history that another doctor might need to look at. If something does happen, the more information you can provide, the quicker it is to start the necessary treatment.
It’s also helpful to ask if the practice you go to has any connections in other cities and states. They might have recommendations on where you can go and get the best sports care possible when you’re out of town.
If they can’t recommend anyone, research on your own. Look for highly rated sports and orthopedic clinics in towns and cities where you’ll be traveling. Print out a list with their contact information or store the information on your phone.
Finally, make sure you have a first aid kit packed with your uniform or equipment. Make sure you have the following:
- Antibiotic ointment
- Bandages of varying sizes
- Elastic bandages
- Gauze pads or tape
- Ibuprofen
- Wound cleanser
Tips for Finding Quality Sports Care When You’re Away
How do you find the best sports care on the road? Technology is your best friend. There’s a wealth of information online, and you can read reviews and look for any news articles about a sports and orthopedic practice. If there are complaints, look deeper into them to determine if they’re justified or not.
Reviews can tell you a lot about wait times, whether there is online check-in, and if they offer the services you are likely to need. The bigger your list, the easier it is to customize your care needs should something happen. If you play baseball and are more likely to injure your shoulder pitching than twist an ankle sliding into a base, you want to make sure that shoulder injuries are a specialty.
Sometimes, reviews are faked, whether it’s a grudge against a practice or a competing clinic wanting to make themselves look better. Review sites are getting better about removing fake reviews, but they still are out there, so it helps to ignore reviews that don’t have details to back them up. You’ll get to honest reviews with the information you need to pick the best sports and orthopedic practice.
Check with the tournament organizers and coaches to see what medical personnel will be available at the stadium or field. If the care available there isn’t enough, where do they recommend players go? Most tournament organizers have partnerships or arrangements in place with local practices to make it easy to get care.
Make Sure You Know What to Do if a Sports Injury Occurs on the Road
If you are injured, make sure you know basic protocol. A sprain or strain needs to follow the RICE protocol:
- R-est
- I-ce
- C-ompression
- E-levation
Don’t play through the pain as that could worsen things. Make sure you’re seen by a team doctor to determine the severity of the injury. If it’s a tear, you don’t want to worsen things by staying on the field. Rest until a doctor can see you. Ask if it’s okay if you take over-the-counter pain relievers before you’re seen.
If you’re cut, pressure on the wound to slow the blood flow is important. If the bleeding doesn’t stop within a few minutes, stitches may be needed. A team doctor can help you make that determination.
Once you see a doctor, make sure you follow the directions. If you’re told to stay on the bench for two weeks, do so. You might feel better after a week, but not waiting the proper amount of time puts you at risk of reinjury, and that new injury might be far more traumatic and end your sports career. It’s always better to listen to your doctor and follow advice.
Put Health and Safety First
Bring your safety gear with you and use it properly. You might hate the restrictive feeling of a face mask as a batter, but it’s better than taking a ball to the mouth. Many injuries can be prevented through the proper equipment and a warm-up before the game.
That warm-up should be the priority before any game or practice. If you’re not given adequate time to warm up, arrive earlier than the coach and start your warm-up before everyone else shows up. Work with your sports and orthopedics doctor to come up with a safe, effective warm-up routine.
Stay hydrated before, during, and after the game. You may need to drink water that’s been enhanced with electrolytes to replace salts you’ve sweated out.
Injury prevention is equally important. Premium Sports & Orthopedics offers medically supervised fitness programs and EMS training that get you into the best shape possible. It can’t prevent all injuries when you’re on the road, but it can lower the risk of some of them.
If you are injured on the road, use our tips to get the care you need and schedule an appointment for orthopedic and sports injury treatment when you return to Fresno. If you’re from away and are in a sports event in Fresno, we’re happy to help you get back on the field as quickly as possible without risking additional injury.
