Sports Physicals
Preparticipation sports physical paperwork may be completed during your child's well child exam. Our goal is to be sure your child can safely enjoy sports without risking harm to their body.
- Ensure your child is prepared for vigorous physical activity
- Gather information on your child’s health and development
- Watch for potential warning signs of serious illness
- Meet the requirements of your child’s school, camp, or sports team
- Identify possible risk factors with a certain sport
- Receive advice on avoiding injuries
Regular physicals are an important part of preventative pediatric care. Getting your child a sports physical gives the doctor the opportunity to examine your child, evaluate their health and fitness, and determine whether or not they are prepared for sports or school activities.
Even when not required by a certain organization, annual well child visits should be a part of your child’s ongoing healthcare because they also provide an important opportunity to discuss your child’s development and any concerns you may have.
Sports Physical FAQs
What is a sports physical?
The primary goal of a sports physical is to ensure safe participation in sports. Jumping into high-intensity workouts and competitive sports without proper preparation can exacerbate existing issues or lead to preventable injuries. These exams help identify potential problems early on.
While a sports physical might occasionally uncover issues that restrict participation, it generally informs decision-making. The exam often identifies treatable problems before your child begins a sport and highlights whether extra training is needed to ensure safe participation.
Why is a child’s medical history important?
Children and parents use a medical history form to provide information about:
- Chronic illnesses such as asthma, diabetes, or epilepsy
- Hospitalizations or surgeries
- Past injuries such as concussions, sprains, or fractures
- Problems with dizziness, chest pain, or breathing during exercise
- Medications and supplements
- Allergies
- Family history of serious illnesses
A complete medical history helps your doctor determine if your child has a condition that sports activities might aggravate.
How is a sports physical exam different from an annual checkup?
A sport physical has a different focus than a wellness exam. During this exam, your pediatrician will evaluate your child’s musculoskeletal health, assessing bones, muscles, and joints for flexibility, strength, and signs of overuse injuries or stress.
The doctor will carefully examine concerns that could be aggravated during sports activities, such as previous fractures, sprains, concussions, skin infections, a past history of pain or dizziness, and chronic health conditions. An existing condition doesn’t always prevent a child from playing sports, but it may mean that they need help to accommodate their activity.
If your child has asthma, for example, they may need a different inhaler or need to learn to use their inhaler shortly before they start their warmups to prevent an exercise-induced asthma attack.
