We recently treated a case that showed the effectiveness of Hurgent Care, and the power of teamwork. The patient, a 13 year old volleyball player, was practicing with her father Sunday afternoon when she sprained her ankle. This was a high ankle sprain, where the two calf bones, the tibia and fibula, are stretched apart leading to pain, swelling, and joint instability. This couldn’t have come at a worse time, since her volleyball team was preparing for a qualifying tournament the following weekend, and she wanted to be there for her team.
Had she gone to regular urgent care, she would have had to wait for hours before seeing a doctor, who would send them for an X-ray, then wait longer for the results. When the X-ray finally came back showing a high ankle sprain, they would have put her in a boot to immobilize the joint. This would have put her on crutches, and kept her out of the game for at least 2 weeks, and possibly 4-6 weeks before she recovered. Additionally, they would have had her ice it regularly, which we now understand would have slowed her healing time.
Luckily for her, she came to see our team instead. There didn’t appear to be a fracture, so we began treatment immediately. We ordered X-rays the following day to make sure, and to provide a doctor’s note for her school, although our treatment didn’t depend on having one. We treated her right away with acupuncture and soft tissue massage to reduce the pain, inflammation and swelling. She had to hop on the uninjured leg to come into our clinic, but after just one treatment, she was able to walk with a limp on her way out. This wasn’t enough for her to play of course, but she came daily for treatments over the next week. She received acupuncture from us, and we taught her dad to give her soft tissue mobilization work at home, and taped her ankle to give it support while still having the freedom to move. Additionally, we had them stop all icing and apply heat instead to keep the circulation flowing and improve recovery.
And all the hard work paid off. By the 3rd day she was able to participate in her team’s practice. By the 6th day, she was able to play normally, as though she hadn’t been injured at all. Her team went on to win 3rd place, and will advance to the next level!
With the support of our team, she was able to support her team, and play despite her injury.
By David Dick, L. Ac., DAOM
Had she gone to regular urgent care, she would have had to wait for hours before seeing a doctor, who would send them for an X-ray, then wait longer for the results. When the X-ray finally came back showing a high ankle sprain, they would have put her in a boot to immobilize the joint. This would have put her on crutches, and kept her out of the game for at least 2 weeks, and possibly 4-6 weeks before she recovered. Additionally, they would have had her ice it regularly, which we now understand would have slowed her healing time.
Luckily for her, she came to see our team instead. There didn’t appear to be a fracture, so we began treatment immediately. We ordered X-rays the following day to make sure, and to provide a doctor’s note for her school, although our treatment didn’t depend on having one. We treated her right away with acupuncture and soft tissue massage to reduce the pain, inflammation and swelling. She had to hop on the uninjured leg to come into our clinic, but after just one treatment, she was able to walk with a limp on her way out. This wasn’t enough for her to play of course, but she came daily for treatments over the next week. She received acupuncture from us, and we taught her dad to give her soft tissue mobilization work at home, and taped her ankle to give it support while still having the freedom to move. Additionally, we had them stop all icing and apply heat instead to keep the circulation flowing and improve recovery.
And all the hard work paid off. By the 3rd day she was able to participate in her team’s practice. By the 6th day, she was able to play normally, as though she hadn’t been injured at all. Her team went on to win 3rd place, and will advance to the next level!
With the support of our team, she was able to support her team, and play despite her injury.
By David Dick, L. Ac., DAOM
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