My Life is Vital™ - Getting a Sports Physical

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Getting a Sports Physical

Vital Healthcare Group

There’s nothing more exciting than the start of a sport’s season. You have the anticipation of try-outs, a winning season and all the fans. But you may also be nervous about getting a sports physical.

What is a sports physical?

A sports physical is a doctor check-up before the season starts. The sports physical makes sure that you are in good enough health to play the sport you want.

The sports physical, also called a preparticipation physical exam (PPE), is sometimes required by the law of the state you live in. If you live in a state where they aren’t required, your school or coach might want players to get a sports physical anyway just to be safe.

Why do student athletes need sports physicals?

As much as you may not like going to the doctor, sports physicals are really important for your own safety. Just like sports superstars have to get checked out to make sure they are healthy enough to play a sport, so do student athletes.

Your body works very hard when you run, jump, tackle, or swing. So, it is important to make sure your body functions the way it is supposed to. A sports physical will pinpoint any problems that could possibly interfere with your participation in the sport.

During the sports physical, your doctor may offer you training tips and advice to keep you in the best shape possible. These tips can help you perform your best.

What your doctor does in a sports physical

Takes your medical history: The first thing your doctor will do is go over your medical history. A medical history is a series of questions all about your health and the health of your family members. You may wonder why your doctor needs to know about your parents. It’s because some issues are hereditary. These answers can offer your doctor clues into any possible health problems that may arise. Your parents can help you answer these questions.

Asks questions:

What illnesses have you had?
Do you have any allergies?
Have you ever had any injuries?
What types of medications are you on, if any?
Have you ever felt dizzy, fainted, had trouble breathing or experienced chest pain while you were exercising?

Does a physical examination: Your doctor will perform a physical exam to make sure your body is working in tip-top shape. Here’s what your doctor will do during a sports physical:

Check your height, weight, blood pressure, and eyesight
Listen to your chest and lungs
Look in your ears, throat and nose.
Test your strength, flexibility, and joints.

You may also be asked questions about drugs, alcohol, weight-loss drugs, steroid or performance enhancement drugs you may be taking. Some doctors also perform blood or urine testing for drugs. Drugs are very detrimental to your health and dangerous.

Girls may be asked questions about their menstrual cycle to make sure that intense physical activity isn’t affecting it. Sometimes if girls train too hard and become too thin, they will stop having a period altogether. This can affect the strength of their bones and lead to painful fractures.

It is very rare that a sports physical would find you have a condition so serious that you can’t play a sport. Usually, if some sort of condition is found, medications or therapy can help fix it.

Check your immunizations record: Your doctor will also check to make sure that all your immunizations are up to date. This is for your own good, as well as for the health and safety of the team.

A team spends a great deal of time together in season, often having a lot of contact. In that type of close environment, it’s easy to spread germs.

Making sure everyone on the team has all their immunizations can help to eliminate the spreading of some of those germs. Plus, you don’t want to get sick and miss any of the season!

Where can I go to get a sports physical?

Sometimes schools offer sports physicals on certain days so you don’t have to travel very far. Doctors and/or nurses come to the school and perform the physicals. They usually set up different stations and you go to each one to get the different parts of the exam performed.

Your regular doctor can also do a sports physical if your school doesn’t offer one. It is a good idea to get checked by your regular doctor anyway because they know your medical history the best.

Sports physicals should be performed about 6-8 weeks before the season starts. Your school will give you notice that you need one and when it is due. Getting a sports physical early will guarantee that nothing gets in the way of you starting the season on time.

How often do I need a sports physical?

You will only need to get a sports physical once a year. However, if you have an injury or condition that affects your game, you should probably get more frequent check-ups.

The sports physical is not meant as a replacement to your regular yearly check-up with your doctor. You should still continue to get annual physicals as well.

Sports physicals don’t have to be a dreaded event. Instead, you should look at it as an opportunity to get in tune with your body and learn what you can do to make yourself the best athlete possible.