All sports are demanding and require a lot of work from the body. When getting into the season, it is important to make sure your child's body is capable of taking on all that demand. A sports physical allows your physician to take a good look at your child's health while keeping in mind that they will be taking part in a good amount of rigorous activity.
What is a Sports Physical?
A sports physical involves two parts:
- Physical examination
- In-depth look at your child's and family's medical history
The physical examination involves your physician checking and recording the state of things such as:
- Height and weight
- Blood pressure and pulse
- Your vision
- Heart, lungs, ears, nose, abdomen, and throat
- Posture, flexibility, joints, and strength
Now don’t worry if there is an issue found with any of these. When an issue is found, it is most common for physicians to refer the patient to a specialist to verify that there is, in fact, something wrong and if will limit your child's ability to participate in sports.
The second part of a sports physical is a look at your personal medical history and your family’s overall medical history. A few questions they might ask are:
- Family history of heart conditions, such as arrhythmia and heart disease, or asthma
- Any past surgeries and injuries you have had
- Any issues that occur during exercise such as trouble breathing or chest pain
- Allergies
- Any medication being taken
It is in your best interest to answer all of these questions to the best of your ability because the point of these questions is to ensure that you do not have any possibly life-threatening conditions.
Why are Sports Physical Important?
Sports physicals are important for a multitude of reasons.
The biggest reason is that it gives your physician the chance to make sure you have no life-threatening conditions. When putting your body through such rigorous activity, you have the chance of pushing it too far, which could have some very serious consequences if you have an undiagnosed condition that would react poorly to the strenuous activity.
Another great reason to go get a sports physical is to be aware of how susceptible you are to injury. When a physician is aware of all your past injuries and surgeries, they will be able to tell you what your risk factors are. This will give you a much greater chance of avoiding injury.
At the end of the day, a sports physical is important because it will allow you to stay as healthy as possible while doing something you love!
Where Can I Get a Sports Physical?
Right here at Duncan Chiropractic in Strongsville! We offer sports physicals for just $35. Call us today to schedule an appointment (often same-day appointments are available!).