As the summer sports and sports camps season draw near, it’s time to start thinking about scheduling your child’s sports physical.
Sports physicals are typically done by your child’s pediatrician, family medicine physician or family nurse practitioner. The best time to do a sports physical is at least four to six weeks before the season begins. This allows time for follow-up care like additional health screenings, if needed.
While a sports physical has some things in common with a well-child checkup, they are not exactly the same. Both types of appointments check the health of a child, but a well-child checkup focuses on overall wellness while a sports physical focuses on a child’s ability to safely play a sport. At HealthLinc, you can do a well-child checkup and a sports physical all in one appointment!
What is a Sports Physical?
At a sports physical, you will begin with a review of the child’s medical history before the physical exam. During this medical history review, you will talk about your child’s medical history, family history, vaccine records, allergies, medications and more.
It is recommended that you schedule a sports physical with your child’s pediatrician or physician since they are familiar with your child’s medical history.
The physical exam allows providers to check your child’s physical fitness and looks for any injuries or health conditions that could affect your child while playing sports.
What happens during the physical exam:
- Measure weight and height
- Check heart and lungs
- Check stomach/abdomen
- Check blood pressure
- Check strength
- Test vision
- Test joints
- Provide tips on injury prevention
- Recommend health screenings (if needed)
At the end of the sports physical, your child’s provider may clear your child to play sports with no restrictions, or they may clear your child to play with restrictions that will keep them safe on the playing field or court.
How Does it Help My Child Stay Healthy?
After clearing a sports physical, your child can dive into the sports season and you can rest easy knowing they can safely play sports with or without restrictions. Getting a sports physical helps you and your child understand how to stay healthy based on the results. For example, if your child has a previous injury, their provider can tell them how to avoid injuring it again.
Just as your child would not enter the playing field without a game plan from his or her coach, you do not want your child to begin the sports season without a plan from a pediatrician or physician to keep them healthy.
Where Can I Schedule a Sports Physical?
HealthLinc is committed to keeping children healthy. If your child needs a sports physical to participate in summer sports or will need one before the fall sports season, reach out to HealthLinc to schedule a visit today. HealthLinc encourages you to schedule your well-child checkup and sports physical all in one appointment!
Explore HealthLinc’s pediatric services and providers and call 888-580-1060 to schedule an appointment for your child.
