Being able to exercise every single day would be ideal. But most people do not have the circumstances that allow them to do this. Weekend warriors take advantage of their free hours to play sports and engage in physical activities. Although they get many health benefits from this, there is an increased chance of sports-related injuries.
How Do Unexpected Sports Injuries Happen?
Each sport seems to have traditional injuries associated with it. Basketball players get tight knees and stiff lower backs. Soccer players pull their hamstrings and suffer a hyperextension. There are other less common sports injuries that a person might not expect.
Shin Splints– These are unpredictable and non-specific. They lead to shooting pain in the shins when engaging in physical activity. A podiatrist may examine a player’s gait and their running style and recommend shoes that can put less strain on their legs.
Lost Teeth- It’s not just professional hockey players who lose their teeth. All it takes is for two people to have well-timed contact from the right angle for a person to lose their tooth. Lost teeth happen in just about every contact sport, be it baseball, hockey, soccer, football, and more.
Sports Hernia- People feel uncomfortable talking about this injury because it’s connected to the groin. This is a small tear that happens to the muscles that make up the groin and lower abdomen. There are several athletic situations that can lead to this. It can be very uncomfortable because you use your groin region for most body movements.
Ways to Handle an Unexpected Sport-Related Medical Bill
An unforeseen sports injury could come with an unforeseen medical Bill. Most people do not understand their medical bills, and many do not have money saved to cover a surprise medical expense.
If you have a medical bill because of an unexpected sports-related injury, the first thing you should do is review the bill closely. Research shows that eight out of 10 hospital bills contain mistakes. Usually, these mistakes are not in your favor. If they do not itemize the bill, ask for an itemized bill from the hospital’s billing department. Carefully check for multiple charges for the same thing.
Ask your insurer for detailed information on each itemized charge. Play close attention to charges that seem excessively high or charges that have been declined. Ask your insurance company if they can negotiate with your doctor for a lower rate.
If after negotiating with your insurance company and the hospital you can’t get your bill any lower, now is time to try to set up a payment plan that has little or no interest. This is better than putting a large chunk of money on your credit card as you may struggle to pay this off. Look for financial aid programs offered by charity and government programs designed to help low-income individuals and those who are unemployed.
Look for ways to appeal charges. If you can’t appeal a charge, pay it off, so it will not damage your credit.
Applying for a Line of Credit as a Last Resort
If you do not have enough savings and have no other way to cover the expense of your emergency medical bill, you may want to apply for a credit line. If you are granted a credit line, it will be important to pay off the loan as soon as possible. You should always consider alternative options before seeking out a short-term loan, and have a plan to pay it back quickly if you do.
Do your due diligence when researching an online loan. If online loans are used only in emergency situations and if you work to pay them back as quickly as possible, they may be a good option to help you when an emergency medical situation arises.