Med Center Health Orthopaedics offering walk in clinic hours for recent injuries

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - When you or your child gets an injury, the first thing that might cross your mind is to head to the emergency room, but, what if you could skip that step and go straight to a specialist?

Med Center Health is offering additional hours at a walk-in clinic for anyone who needs just that.

“You don’t have to have an appointment...you just show up, we’ll get you X-rays if necessary, and then see and evaluate you, said Med Center Health Orthopaedics Surgeon, Dr. Chad Willis, “It does not take very long. The walk-in clinic begins before our standard clinic hours, so there’s usually not much of a wait.”

Dr. Willis said the clinic can see anything from ankle and knee sprains to shoulder injuries and Distal Radius fractures.

He also adds that they can be anything from mild to severe.

“Milder injuries consist of things like ankle sprains,” he said, “In children, we see a lot of wrist and forearm fractures, knee sprains flare-up of osteoarthritis. If you’ve had a fall on your knee, and you’ve had arthritis pre-existing... all these things are things that we’re happy to evaluate.”

Dr. Willis also gave some tips and signs to look for when determining if your injury is serious or not.

“Inability to bear weight is one sign that’s a little concerning, swelling, both those things are probably most common,” he said, " Anytime it gets red and warm, that’s also something that can be a little concerning.”

If you can, Dr. Willis says to seek care right away, but if not, there is always the RICE method.

“R is for rest, so you just stay off the affected extremity. Ice is the I and I generally tell people to do it 15 to 20 minutes every couple of hours or so,” he said, “C stands for compression. Most people will have access to just basic a strap or you can get one at any Walgreens if you show up to our walk-in clinic, you’ll most likely leave with a strap. Elevation is something that helps with swelling, if you can control the swelling that generally helps with pain.”

The walk-in clinic is Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

No appointment is necessary.

For more information, click here.

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