Sports Physicals: Importance & Timeliness
Our WiseCare medical experts explain why sports physicals are so important for your student athlete, and why it’s smart to get them done sooner than later.
Most states require school athletes to have a sports physical, and now is the time to book it. Here are a few reasons why sports physicals are so important:
Help determine whether it is safe for your child to participate in a sport
Can provide tools to help your child play even if they have uncertain health issues
Learn different ways of preventing injuries and how to play safely
Recommended once a year even if not required by the sport
Students can get a low-cost sports physical in either our Severna Park or Pasadena WiseCare locations.
These physicals can reveal health problems that could impair athletic performance or even pose a risk of injury or death.
Sports physicals typically focus on the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and neurological systems. They also determine the health of students, their ability to participate in the sport, what could potentially cause an injury, as well as their overall fitness level and how they can perform under a stressful situation.
These exams include:
a review of the student’s medical history;
a thorough physical examination;
assessment of strength, flexibility and posture;
screening for eating disorders, anxiety or other mental disorders;
and drug, energy drink or alcohol abuse.
Students are also asked about exercise-related symptoms — such as shortness of breath, feeling like they may pass out, or tiring easily — that may indicate underlying disease or heart conditions.
For those with a personal or family history of heart problems, your WiseCare provider may advise getting an electrocardiogram, which checks the electrical and muscular functions of the heart.
Use our convenient online appointment scheduler to set up your sports physical at WiseCare www.wisecaremd.com or call 410.255.7900