KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Summer is one of the busiest times of year for emergency rooms and urgent care clinics.
Doctors said it's easy to predict which injuries will come through their doors on sunny days, because they're pretty common.
Even the safest of us is prone to accidents. Many of those accidents are tied to the activities you do when it's sunny.
But whether you're spending your summer inside or outside, urgent care centers report the most common summer injuries they often see are wrist or ankle sprains, lots of bug bits from stepping in ant piles, and rashes from poison ivy and other plants when you're hiking.
Those are all totally preventable things.
"With sprains and strains the biggest thing is just be safe, watch where you are, be sure you don't jump off things," said Christopher Rourke, PA-C with Summit Express Clinic. "For kids, make sure that they're wearing safety protection when they're rollerblading or skating."
Rourke said noticing your surroundings makes a big difference.
"When they're outside hiking or spending time outside -- they have a tendency not to pay attention because they're looking at the beauty around them," said Rourke. "Next thing you know, they step off the trail or they go cliff jumping in one of the lakes around here and don't realize what's under the water."
Look before you walk, and wear sunscreen and bug spray. Rourke said those greatly help your chances of avoiding an ER visit.
A lot of these things can be treated at home, but there are signs that something needs to be seen by a doctor.
"Things we're looking for is warmth, tenderness, redness, swelling... anything that stands out that doesn't look quite right. Come on down and we'll take a look at it to make sure you're okay," said Rourke.
Any deep gashes or punctures need to be checked out and may require a tetanus shot if you're not up to date.
Rourke noted that keeping kids hydrated in the summer is important, but takes a little work. Balance sugary drinks and frozen treats with water to avoid heat sickness.