Author: Ashley Blachford

Sean M. McNeeley Originally published in 2014. Substantially updated and clinically reviewed in 2026. INTRODUCTION Trauma to the chest wall and remainder of the thorax is a common presentation in the acute care setting. Many injuries are minor and easily managed. Life-threatening injuries do, however, sometimes present at urgent care centers. Because of their infrequent nature, serious injuries can be easily missed if not considered in every patient. The urgent care clinician must quickly distinguish …

Original authors: Ashley Simela and Scott M. Zimmer Originally published in 2014. Substantially updated and clinically reviewed in 2026. INTRODUCTION Hand and wrist injuries are extremely common presentations in the urgent care setting. Unfortunately, they are also notoriously mishandled. Patients and clinicians alike underestimate the significance of hand injuries in particular, and the potential for lifelong complications is not to be underestimated. Having a clear understanding of the functional anatomy along with the motor and …

Original chapter authors: Benjamin W. Szerlip and Scott M. Zimmer Originally published in 2014. Substantially updated and clinically reviewed in 2026. INTRODUCTION The shoulder girdle is a unique and complex unit consisting of three joints (the acromioclavicular [AC], glenohumeral, and sternoclavicular joints) and one pseudoarticulation (the scapulothoracic joint). Almost every major athletic activity involves use of the shoulder in some manner, and thus the shoulder can be injured by trauma (direct or indirect) or by …

Original authors: Christopher M. Prior, Matthew Speer, and John Shufeldt Originally published in 2014. Substantially updated and clinically reviewed in 2026 to reflect current evidence, guidelines, and urgent care practice. Introduction Lower extremity injuries are common in the urgent care setting. Rapid triage, evaluation, and treatment are paramount in order to move a typical urgent care center’s volume of patients. The history of acute trauma resulting in a painful or swollen extremity focuses the evaluation …

Original author: Robert Truax Originally published in 2014. Substantially updated and clinically reviewed in 2026 to reflect current evidence, guidelines, and urgent care practice. INTRODUCTION Ankle and foot injuries are one of the most common presentations in the urgent care setting, owing to the vulnerability of the ankle and foot joint complex. Severe injuries are not limited to fractures but can also include soft tissue—skin, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Fortunately, the severity of the injury …