A SPORTS PHYSICAL will ensure your young athlete is ready to play

Participating in competitive sports can be a way for children and teens to be active, learn new skills and make friends. Before your student athlete suits up, however, a pre-participation physical evaluation — or, sports physical — can help determine if they are ready to fully participate.

“A sports physical can give confidence to the clinician, as well as to the student athlete, that they are in top condition to start the sports season,” said Allison H. Foster, MD, FAAP, a pediatrician at the University of Chicago Medicine. “It can also help to identify health concerns that need further examination.”

HOW DOES A SPORTS PHYSICAL DIFFER FROM A SCHOOL PHYSICAL?

School physicals look at a patient’s overall health such as the condition of their body (weight, height, ears, eyes and throat), as well as their social and mental well-being. Students may also receive required vaccinations during school physicals. Sports physicals focus on cardiovascular and orthopaedic health.

HOW SOON BEFORE THE SPORTS SEASON SHOULD A STUDENT ATHLETE HAVE A SPORTS PHYSICAL?

Students should obtain a sports physical exam prior to starting any new sports activity. During an annual school physical, the care provider will ask the patient about plans to participate in sports. If needed, the school physical may be extended to include the sports physical criteria, which most schools will accept.

WHO SHOULD PERFORM THE SPORTS PHYSICAL?

The student athlete’s primary care provider is the best person to perform the sports physical, whether that is a nurse practitioner, pediatrician or other provider. The primary care provider will have an established relationship with the patient and family, and will be familiar with the patient’s family history.

WHAT ARE CLINICIANS LOOKING FOR WHEN PERFORMING A SPORTS PHYSICAL?

During the exam, the clinician listens to the patient’s heart to check for murmurs, extra heartbeats, skips or any other irregularities. The patient’s blood pressure and pulse will be taken while they are at rest and again after they exert themselves with an activity, such as by doing 25 jumping jacks. Next, the clinician will check for scoliosis and test the patient’s reflexes, noting mobility of joints and limbs. Finally, the clinician will perform a standard vision test to determine if there is a need to refer the patient to an optometrist or an ophthalmologist.

The clinician will also discuss family health history with the patient, particularly as it relates to cardiovascular health. This includes discussing family members that may have had arrhythmias, congenital heart disease and related issues.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD A STUDENT ATHLETE HAVE A SPORTS PHYSICAL?

In some instances, school districts will not accept a sports physical more than six months old. However, the longest interval that a student athlete should go without having a sports physical is one year.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE STUDENT ATHLETE CAN’T PASS THEIR SPORTS PHYSICAL?

A student athlete would not pass their sports physical if they have an active, unresolved health issue and need a specialist for further evaluation. One example: The pediatrician could hear a new murmur and need to refer the patient to a cardiologist. Or, perhaps the patient had a recent concussion and was still experiencing symptoms. The primary care physician would not be able to clear the patient to participate in sports until those symptoms were resolved.