When a person is injured, often they don’t know where to turn. This is especially true if a broken or sprained arm, leg, wrist, foot or other extremity is suspected. Fortunately, at Exer Urgent Care, we can quickly diagnose and treat these injuries, including providing splinting of the injuries.
What are Splints and Why are They Needed?
You’ve probably heard the term “splint” used before. A splint is a piece of hard material that is used to immobilize and support a part of the body.
Splints are often used when a person fractures or sprains a part of their body, such as their finger, arm, wrist, or leg. When a person fractures or sprains a limb or some other part of their body, a medical professional may need to set it into place to ensure proper healing of the bone. Next, a splint may be used to immobilize and support that particular part of the body throughout the healing process.
When Should You Get a Splint?
Injuries are often both sudden and painful. They can also be frightening. When you or a loved one is injured, you should always seek medical help right away. Exer Urgent Care provides fast, affordable and effective treatment for a range of common medical conditions, including bumps, bruises, strains, and sprains.
Some of the most common injuries which require splinting include:
- Stress fractures – Small cracks in bone caused by repetitive motions
- Simple fractures – Despite a broken bone, the surrounding skin and tissue remain intact
- Greenstick – Common in children, these injuries result in the bone bending or breaking only on one side
- Sprains – The tearing or stretching of the ligaments that connect two bones or more together may occasionally require a splint to help immobilize the area
Once you visit an Exer clinic, we will be able to determine what the best course of action for your injury may be. With a convenient X-ray available, our medical providers can effectively diagnose and treat your injury. If, for instance, you fracture the bones in your wrist, a medical professional may determine that the best course of action is to provide you with a splint to help the bones heal. In much more severe instances of bone breaks, a partial or full cast may be required.
If you are injured, what are you waiting for? Come into one of our 55 clinics today.
