In Arizona, outdoor sports and year-round athletics are part of our lifestyle — from hiking and soccer to pickleball and football. With all this activity, sports injuries are bound to happen. When they do, many people ask: Should I go to the emergency room or urgent care?
The good news is that urgent care can handle most common sports injuries quickly, affordably, and without the long wait times often associated with emergency rooms.
Here’s how to know exactly where to go if you or a loved one gets hurt:
When Urgent Care is the Right Choice
Urgent care clinics like Heavens Urgent Care are well-equipped to diagnose, treat, and manage non-life-threatening sports injuries.
Here’s a list of common injuries that can (and should) be treated at urgent care:
- Sprains and strains (such as an ankle sprain or pulled hamstring)
- Minor fractures (like a wrist or finger fracture — we can often splint or cast on-site)
- Dislocations (especially fingers, toes, or shoulders)
- Minor concussions (without loss of consciousness or severe symptoms)
- Cuts, scrapes, and minor wounds (that may need stitches)
- Bruises, contusions, and swelling
- Tendonitis or overuse injuries (like tennis elbow or runner’s knee)
We have experienced providers trained to handle these types of injuries quickly and correctly.
FACT: A recent study by the Urgent Care Association (UCA) found that over 70% of patients visiting urgent cares were treated within 60 minutes or less — far faster than the average 2–4 hours at an ER.
When You Should Go to the Emergency Room
While urgent care can handle most athletic injuries, some situations do require a trip to the ER. These include:
- Severe head injuries (loss of consciousness, confusion, vomiting)
- Deep chest pain or breathing difficulties after an injury
- Suspected spinal injuries
- Open fractures (bone visible through the skin)
- Severe, uncontrolled bleeding
If you’re ever unsure, you can always call us — we’ll advise you on the best place to get care based on your situation.
Why Choose Urgent Care Over the ER?
Choosing urgent care for sports injuries offers many benefits:
- Faster care:Urgent cares are designed for speed. No long waiting room stays.
- Lower cost:On average, an urgent care visit costs 80% less than an emergency room visit, according to Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) data.
- Convenient hours:We’re open evenings and weekends — perfect for after-practice injuries.
- Personalized care:Smaller patient loads mean more time spent addressing your specific injury and questions.
Urgent care bridges the gap between your primary doctor and the emergency room. It’s the ideal choice for non-life-threatening but still serious injuries that need fast, skilled treatment.
Quick Tip: When in doubt, remember this:
- Broken skin, broken bone (but no bone sticking out)? Urgent care.
- Head trauma with fainting or severe bleeding? Emergency room.
Heavens Urgent Care, located in Apache Junction, Arizona not only provides fast and affordable care for sports injuries we also offer sports physicals. Walk-ins are always welcome and don’t forget that we offer telehealth video calls for all residents of Arizona.
