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When it comes to an ankle fracture, it?s best to seek immediate medical attention. An ankle sprain, caused by an overextension of the ligaments, is common among athletes, but a fractured ankle requires more than a cold compress or brace. Alluding directly to a fracture in the ankle bones — the tibia, talus, calcaneus, or fibula — a fracture needs to be set by a doctor and then placed into a cast for proper healing. While an ankle sprain may cause swelling, a fracture can usually be detected by the intensity of the pain and numbness in the ankle.
However, getting immediate medical care for an ankle fracture, or any fracture, can be a hassle. Doctor?s offices are difficult to get into by appointment and the Emergency Room is both expensive and time-consuming. A pleasant alternative to both is medical urgent care centers.
Urgent Care provides medical care to a number of patients both efficiently and effectively. Nearly 60% of Urgent Care patients have had a wait time of fewer than 15 minutes and nearly 80% of each visit is less than an hour long. These statistics are not because of a lesser amount of patients, either. One out of five Urgent Care clinics cares for up to 450 patients a week and 66% of clinics open before 9:00 AM during the work week (with 45.7% opening early on Saturdays and 31.1% on Sundays). These clinics then remain open up until 7:00 PM with two out of five staying open as late at 9:00 PM.
Patients are highly likely to seek medical treatment at the Emergency Room when their doctor is unavailable due to the office being closed (48% likely to be precise according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). However, if a patient is suffering from an ankle fracture and they are unable to see their physician, a visit to the Emergency Room is not necessary despite how excruciating the pain may be.
Four out of five Urgent Care centers (50% of which are owned by a physician) provide care for fractures such as that of an ankle. Therefore, if you’re suffering from an ankle fracture and you’re unable to get into your doctor’s office, fret not! A Medical Urgent Care center is more than likely open near you and can provide you with the medical care you need in half the time.
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