Fast track your orthopaedic care this winter

When the cool weather rolls into the Valley, residents look forward to heading to the mountains for winter activities like skiing, snowboarding, ice skating or sledding. Typically, when we’re out enjoying the winter fun, considering the risks of an orthopaedic injury isn’t top of mind.

According to the United States Consumer Product and Safety Commission, in 2022, there were an estimated 124,700 winter sport related injuries seen in emergency rooms across the country. All sports come with some inherited risk, but winter sports sometimes require additional safety strategies.

Cause of winter sports injuries

Skiing and snowboarding are responsible for a majority of winter sports injuries, with hockey and sledding following behind. The presence of cold and icy conditions make slip and fall injuries more common, and cold weather can also make it hard to warm up your muscles, increasing the likelihood for muscle and ligament injuries.

Preventing injury

It’s important to warm up thoroughly before you hit the slopes or ice rink. This will prevent muscle strains and sprains by increasing blood flow and joint flexibility. Wearing proper clothes and protective gear that’s appropriate to the activities is important.

Most winter sports require a large amount of safety equipment. Improper use or lack of safety equipment can increase your chances of concussion and impact injuries. Make sure you’re wearing the right size helmet to reduce your risk of concussion or traumatic brain injury.

Expert care when you need it most

Even with the best planning and protective equipment, accidents happen. Should you suffer a muscle strain, fracture or sprain at your next trip down the slopes, don’t spend days or weeks waiting to be seen by an orthopaedic specialist.

Saint Agnes’ team of sports medicine and orthopaedic providers know the importance of fast, high-quality treatment when it comes to orthopaedic injuries. That’s why we’re proud to offer Ortho On Demand – a walk-in orthopaedic clinic for everyone six years and up. There’s no appointment necessary, and in most cases, no referral required.

Get the treatment you need including on-site X-rays, casting and physical therapy prescriptions the same day as your injury so you can get back to the activities you love faster.

Treatment options

When you visit Ortho On Demand, your physician may make treatment recommendations including:

• Rest. Avoiding repetitive activities that cause the injured area pain can give muscles and tendons time to heal.
• A support device. For some injuries including simple fractures, wearing slings, braces, boots and/or using crutches can help reduce pain and swelling while the injury heals.
• Conservative measures. Physical therapy, strengthening exercises, over-the-counter pain relievers or corticosteroid injections and ice to reduce inflammation may be enough to allow you to eventually return to your normal activities.
• Joint replacement. In some cases of extreme injury or wear and tear from osteoarthritis, a joint replacement surgery may be necessary. Our team of orthopaedic surgeons at Saint Agnes specialize in minimally-invasive joint replacement surgery for hips, knees and shoulders.

Less waiting, more healing

It's bad enough to suffer an unexpected injury, so you shouldn't have to wait days (or weeks) to see a specialist. Learn about our walk-in clinic "Ortho on Demand" and how you can reserve your spot in line to help reduce your wait time.

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