How Sports Physicals Can Improve Child Safety in Sports
Regular physical activity is an important part of health for all children. A sports physical is a comprehensive physical exam done by a doctor. If you schedule one at Brevard Health Alliance, you can expect the following.
A Complete Evaluation
The primary goal of a sports physical is to identify conditions that might predispose the athlete to injury, to detect conditions that might be life-threatening or disabling. It is not performed to disqualify an athlete but to ensure safety.
We will ask questions that focus on exercise-induced symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations and syncope, because these symptoms may result from a heart issue or occur after an infection, such as with Covid19. These symptoms require further evaluation.
The best time for a sports physical is 4-6wks before the beginning of the athletic season, this allows enough time for evaluation, consultations and rehab if needed for any injuries. During the evaluation phase, our mission is to evaluate your child’s health status for sports safety. We’ll check:
- Vision
- Height
- Weight
- Blood pressure
- Heart rate
It is important to complete the medical history and family history because most of the important information is from the history.
A Health Exam
Although the sports physical is comprehensive it is not designed to take the place of a regular physician visit or Well Child Check. The setting and time allocated for the sports physical is not often conducive to discussion of other health issues.
A team is stronger when everyone works together efficiently as a unit. Injuries can weaken a well-oiled team, which is why we provide thorough physical exams. During our examinations, we review specific musculoskeletal structures. This process helps us identify key factors that could lead to sports-related injuries.
We Provide Affordable Sports Physicals for Child Athletes
Today physical activity is a way of life. Take good care of your body and you get to play the game longer! If you want to protect your young athlete, a sports physical can help. We treat kids up to age 19, and our vaccines are free. Contact us today and set up an appointment for a sports physical.
References:
[1] https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/health-a-z/immunotherapy/
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