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House Call: Friday Night Lights Pt. 3


Sep 30, 2022

Welcome back to UHC’s House Call on WDTV. Friday night lights are back, and so are the threat of injuries on the football field. United Hospital Center is prepared with a clinic open to athletes every Friday night after the games. Here to tell us more is Joseph Fazalare, MD, Orthopaedic Surgeon.

1). What if a cheerleader, band member, or referee sustains an injury during the game, are they permitted to attend the Friday Night Lights clinic?

Absolutely. We will treat any patient that has sustained an acute injury. We even see college team members at our Friday Night Lights clinic. The clinic will focus on all athletes who have non-emergent injuries that require medical attention.

2). What are the costs associate with a Friday Night Lights visit?

After-hours orthopaedic charges the same as a specialist office visit. The charge may vary depending on your injury, diagnosis, and insurance coverage.

Insurance will be accepted for services provided through the Friday Night Lights clinic. Copays are expected at the time of service. Charges for imaging, casting, or bracing may be incurred.

3). Is there a reason why these orthopaedic injuries happen?

The soreness and stiffness often associated with an orthopaedic sports injury is due to overexertion or incorrect form. However, when the pain continues and is accompanied by swelling and inflammation, there is more going on than a simple muscle strain.

Believe it or not, limited swelling is necessary for the body to progress from one healing state to the next, some types of swelling may actually inhibit healing. If an injury causes bleeding into tissue, a swelling called a hematoma occurs that may require immediate medical attention.

If there is swelling within joints, it is called an effusion and may lead to joint stiffness. If your injured joint feels like it wants to give out or buckle, you may have sustained a ligament injury commonly seen in ACL tears in the knee. Treating more serious injuries may involve our UHC Orthopaedic physicians, so as to help prevent even further damage. You will find our Friday Night Lights Clinic, tonight and every Friday night until the end of high school football season, located at UHC Orthopaedics in Bridgeport, at 227 Medical Park Drive, Suite 101, the first building on your left as you enter the UHC campus. For more information, please visit www.wvorthocenter.com.

This content was originally posted on the WDTV News website here.

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