Returning back to school in the fall is exciting. It means back to schedules, learning, friends, and sports. Getting back into sports after a long break means that injuries may be more likely to occur if proper precautions are not taken. Some typical, sports-related injuries can include things like heat illness, sprains and strains and bone fractures.

In much of Texas, returning to school in the fall does not mean that summer temperatures have subsided. After school practices and games can be played in weather that is 90+ degrees. Dehydration can occur easily. This can be easily prevented by ensuring that adequate fluids are taken in before, during, and after engaging in physical activity. Heat exhaustion occurs when an athlete becomes over-heated and experiences potential dizziness, fainting, heavy perspiration, or dilated pupils. Wearing sweat-wicking clothes, taking breaks, and hydrating with cool beverages will help prevent this. Heat exhaustion is a condition that can be treated at an urgent care such as Next Level Urgent Care. Heat stroke is characterized by the athlete having hot, dry skin and endorsing symptoms such as dizziness or confusion. It is critical that heat stroke be treated by medical professionals to decrease body temperature and monitor for any further complications. Heat stroke is better treated in a hospital emergency room setting.

Sprains and strains are also very common sports-related injuries. A sprain occurs when a ligament, the fiber that connects two bones, is injured. A strain is when a muscle or tendon becomes injured. Tendons are the tissue that connects muscle to bone. Any of these injuries can be serious enough to require immobilization of the impacted body part and require longer rest periods to allow the tissue to properly heal. When an athlete is injured in either of these ways, having an X-Ray completed to make sure there is no fracture is very important to make sure the injury heals properly.

Children and teenagers have developing tissues, called growth plates, at the end of long bones that can easily become injured as they are not fully developed as they are in adults. These growth plates include the ends of the forearm bones, the ends of the femur, and the bones of the hands and feet. These particular bones are very easy to fracture. Any time an injury occurs to a bone, having a medical professional assess the situation quickly will allow for a quick and thorough recovery.

If a child appears to be impacted by the heat, has a sprain or strain, or has potentially fractured a bone playing sports, immediate medical care may be needed. Next Level Urgent Care offers convenient extended hours as well as weekend openings to help treat such injuries. With eight locations in the Houston area, Next Level Urgent Care is open from 9:00am to 9:00 pm every day (except Thanksgiving and Christmas). Should an injury occur, Next Level Urgent Care is the premier choice for after-hours care and will provide thorough medical care quickly.