Stay in the Game Student Athletes
More than 38 million American children and teenagers will participate in at least one organized sport during the coming school year. Having a sports physical is one of the best ways to detect any potential health problems and make sure these students are physically ready to play.
Many states or local school districts require a sports physical before students can participate in a school-sanctioned sport. Your family’s pediatrician is usually the best person to conduct a sports physical because he or she is already very knowledgeable about your child’s physical health. In addition to taking and reviewing your son’s or daughter’s medical history, the pediatrician will conduct a comprehensive physical examination. The exam also includes questions about recent illnesses, hospitalizations or injuries such as concussions, sprains or factures, which need to be evaluated before participating in a sport. Questions about allergies and medications being taken are also important to ask. The pediatrician may recommend specific exercises and stretches that can reduce the risk of injury in the child’s specific sport.
Of course, it’s impossible to completely avoid injuries in any sport. When injuries do occur, many hospitals offer a sports medicine program that specializes in working with sports and exercise related injuries, from muscle pulls and twisted ankles to more serious conditions that may require arthroscopic surgery.
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