Injured knee, sprained ankle, or possible broken bone? Where is the best place to get the care you need? Here’s a quick guide to help you figure out where to go in the event of an orthopaedic injury. Knowing where to go can save you significant time and money.

When Should I Choose Urgent Care for an Orthopaedic Injury?

The vast majority of orthopedic injuries can be safely treated at Wake Orthopaedics Urgent Care. As long as there isn’t severe arm or leg deformities, excessive bleeding, or life-threatening concerns, our Ortho Urgent Care is the best option for treatment.  With two convenient locations in Cary and North Raleigh, it is easy to get the care you need, when you need it.

At Wake Orthopaedics Urgent Care, patients have an affordable and efficient alternative to the ER for the most common orthopaedic injuries, including:

• Sports injuries
• Sprains, strains, & dislocations
• Fractures
• Ligament tears
• Cast or splint issues
• Cuts/lacerations
• Painful, swollen joints
• Pediatric injuries

WakeMed Urgent Care has eight locations, in and around the Triangle, open 7 days a week from 8am-8pm, where Wake Orthopaedics provides full-time orthopaedic urgent care coverage for patients needing orthopaedic care for injuries.

When Should I Go to the Emergency Room for an Orthopaedic Injury?

If you think that your injury may be life-threatening ALWAYS choose the emergency department for care. The emergency department is a better choice for more severe orthopaedic injuries, and it offers better resources for treatment if:

• Your arm or leg is severely crooked
• A bone has broken through the skin
• There has been significant blood loss
• There are other complicating factors (ex: multiple injuries, such as: falling from heights or motor vehicle collisions)

What About Children & Orthopaedic Urgent Care?

For children with significant injuries, such as larger cuts or angulation deformities of their arms and legs, the emergency room offers appropriate sedation and the most comfortable and stress-free treatment environment. Also, unlike urgent care locations, emergency departments are open 24/7 and feature the widest range of services and access to medical specialists.

Wake Orthopaedics is happy to announce that you can now quickly, and easily, Reserve Your Spot in line for Wake Orthopaedics Urgent Care.  You can also check emergency department wait times, locations, and directions at WakeMed.org.

About Mark L. Wood, MD

Dr. Mark Wood is board certified in Orthopedic Sports Medicine at Wake Orthopaedics with a practice that is focused on knee and shoulder injuries and disorders. Online appointment requests and information about the six convenient office locations are available at WakeOrtho.com.