Plenty of parents feel perplexed when their kid gets injured during a game. They want to know what action to take, how serious an injury might be, what long-term consequences could unfold.
Truth be told, most parents don’t know who to call when a child gets injured playing sports. Primary care? MRI? Orthopedist? Other specialist?
More kids are playing sports today, and more competitively than ever before – an estimated 45 million children participating in the U.S. every year, with more than one-third enduring a sports-related injury. Lower extremities are the most commonly injured (60% of all kids’ sports injuries, according to this article).
How do you know when an X-ray is enough, or when an MRI is needed?
Most doctors will say if your child has pain but can bear weight on a foot or leg, ice it and see how they respond. At that point, an MRI is not needed.
An X-ray can rule out a fracture or reveal joint dislocation. A CT scan gives a view of bone tissue and can illuminate tiny tears that X-rays may not reveal. Doctors turn to MRI for muscular tears, spinal injuries, joint damage and muscular trauma.
Most sports injuries require simple rest, icing, compression and elevation. If the pain abates, you know it was a minor injury and your child is on the mend. When pain endures, that’s when you want to take a closer look and get deeper answers.
