Sports Physical Services for Kids
Before your kiddo joins the team roster, come see KidsStreet Urgent Care Clinic for their sports physical!
Participation in a sport has so many benefits for your child, to name a few:
- Confidence in their skills and group settings.
- Discipline, teamwork, and perseverance.
- Improved academic performance.
- Mental health benefits such as improved mood and emotional well-being.
- Physical fitness habits established early that may last throughout their life.
Before your kid’s sports season starts, don’t forget to schedule their sports physical!
Why Sports Physicals Are Required
Sports physicals are not designed to keep kids from playing sports. In fact, it’s quite the opposite! Experts agree that kids should play sports and other physical activities because of the health and life skills benefits they can gain.
However, medical experts also want to ensure that your child’s safety is the highest priority. Most states require sports physicals before starting a new sport or a new sports season because of the recommendations from the following authorities:
- American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
- American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
- American Heart Association (AHA)
- American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM)
- American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM)
- American Osteopathic Academy for Sports Medicine (AOASM)
- National Athletic Trainer’s Association (NATA)
- National Federation of State High School Associations (NFSHSA)
That’s quite an impressive list of experts looking out for the safety of your athlete! And you can add KidsStreet Urgent Care Clinic to that list! Register online to schedule your child’s sports physical.
The goals of the sports physical are to:
- Identify and rehabilitate old musculoskeletal injuries.
- Identify and treat health problems that interfere with performance.
- Identify conditions that require a treatment plan before or during participation.
- Identify medical problems with risks of life-threatening complications during participation.
- Maximize safe participation.
- Remove unnecessary restrictions on participation.
What To Expect in a Sports Physical
Your child’s school or sports association may provide you with a specific sports physical form to be completed. If so, bring that form and your child’s vaccination records to the sports physical appointment.
There are generally three parts to the sports physical:
- Medical history
- Physical exam
- Sports physical result
Medical History
The healthcare provider will ask questions to obtain a medical or health history. They will likely ask about:
- Allergies to medications, foods, or animals/bugs.
- Current activity level.
- Diet, nutrition, and weight gain or loss.
- Family history of heart disease.
- History of chest pain, dizziness, passing out, or shortness of breath in the heat or during physical activity.
- List of medications, including over-the-counter, prescription, and supplements such as vitamins.
- Previous medical history, such as anemia, asthma, diabetes, or heart conditions.
- Previous injuries or surgeries.
- Use of alcohol, tobacco, drugs, or steroids.
- Vaccine history.
You may be able to complete this information on the sports physical form before your child’s appointment.
Physical Exam
The healthcare provider will perform a physical exam of your child, including:
- Checking their reflexes.
- Listening to their heart, lungs, and abdomen.
- Looking in their eyes, ears, nose, and throat.
- Measuring their height and weight.
- Measuring their vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, oxygenation saturation, and respiratory rate).
- Screening for hearing and vision loss.
- Testing their balance, flexibility, range of motion, and strength.
They may ask your son about any problems with their testicles, and they may ask your daughter about their menstruation cycles.
Sports Physical Result
Once the sports physical is complete, the healthcare provider will assign one of five possible results:
- Medically eligible for sports without restrictions
- Medically eligible for sports without restrictions, but further evaluation is needed
- Medically eligible for certain sports listed on the form
- Not medically eligible for any sports, pending further evaluation
- Not medically eligible for any sports
Most kids are approved as medically eligible for sports without restrictions.
However, if the healthcare provider finds something of concern in the medical history or physical exam, they may want your child to have some follow-up testing before approving them to play sports. For example:
- If your child has asthma or a history of shortness of breath during activity, they may recommend a pulmonary function test and possibly an inhaler for their safe participation in sports.
- If your child has a family history of sudden cardiac death or abnormal heart sounds, the healthcare provider may recommend an EKG (electrocardiogram), stress test, and follow-up with a cardiologist before clearing them for sports.
- If the healthcare provider has concerns about your child’s eyesight, they may recommend a complete eye exam, contact lenses, or sports eyewear.
- If your child has soreness or weakness from a previous injury, the healthcare provider may recommend physical therapy or rehab to regain their strength.
- If your child has a history of concussions or head trauma, they may clear them to play non-contact sports such as golf, swimming, or tennis.
When To Schedule a Sports Physical
Sports physicals are usually completed at least once a year. If your child is injured while playing sports, they may be required in less than a year.
The sports physical differs from your child’s annual well-child exam with their primary care doctor. Although there are some similarities, the sports physical only evaluates your child’s medical eligibility to participate in sports safely. The annual well-child exam evaluates your child’s overall health.
It is best to schedule your child’s sports physical six to eight weeks before their sports season starts. This will allow you and your child time for any follow-up testing the healthcare provider may recommend.
Turn to KidsStreet Urgent Care Clinic
Is it time to schedule your kid’s sports physical? KidsStreet Urgent Care Clinic can help!
Register online to visit the clinic. You and your child can wait in the convenience of your home or vehicle until we are ready to see you.
KidsStreet loves walk-ins too! However, we recommend registering online before your visit to reduce in-clinic wait times. Walk-ins join the same queue as those who register online.