Know Where to Go for Care: Orthopaedic Urgent Care or Emergency Department

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 orthpaedic injury.

The vast majority of orthopaedic injuries can be safely treated at an urgent care. As long as there isn’t severe arm or leg deformities, excessive bleeding or life threating concerns, urgent care is the best option for treatment. 

Through a collaboration with Wake Orthopaedics and WakeMed Urgent Care, patients have an affordable and efficient alternative to the ED for the most common orthopaedic injuries. At orthopaedic urgent care, you can get immediate, specialized treatment for:

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

If you think your injury may be life-threating ALWAYS choose the emergency department instead of an urgent care. The emergency department is a better choice for more severe orthopaedic injuries and offers expanded resources for treatment if:

• Your arm or leg is severely crooked
• Bone has broken through the skin
• There has been significant blood loss
• There are other complicating factors such as multiple injuries, severe concussion or head injury

For a quick reference guide to keep on hand, download (hyperlink) this Urgent Care & Emergency Department map.