Sports Physicals

Why would my child need a sports physical?

To maintain their health, all children, even those who aren’t playing a school or college sport, need to be physically active. If your child is a dancer, goes skateboarding or horseback riding, or takes part in any kind of physical activity, they should get a sports physical to make sure they’re fit and healthy enough to participate.

How do I arrange a sports physical for my child?

You can book a sports physical for your child by calling Night Watch Pediatric Urgent Care or using the online booking tool. The American Academy of Pediatricians recommends making an appointment for a sports physical at least 6-8 weeks before the new sports season begins so there’s plenty of time to evaluate and treat any health problems that might come up so that they’re ready when the season begins.

Before you arrive for your child’s sports physical, you need to complete the health history form, answering the questions fully and accurately. This gives your pediatrician the information they need to make sound assessments and provide the best advice about your child’s health.

If the organizers of your child’s sports activities give you a medical eligibility form, take it with you to your child’s sports physical so the medical team can fill it out.

What happens during a sports physical?

A sports physical is similar to an annual wellness exam, where your pediatrician checks your child’s vital signs, growth and development, and looks for any indications of dysfunction or disease.

Pediatricians are ideally suited to carrying out sports physicals because they have the specialized knowledge needed to identify and treat the kinds of conditions that affect active children like bone and joint problems. They can also make sure your child has had all their immunizations and that they’re up to date on boosters.

Pediatricians like the team at Night Watch Pediatric Urgent Care conduct your child’s sports physical in a private setting where you can be sure of confidentiality and your child can express any of their own concerns. You can also discuss how to increase your child’s physical activity in the safest way if they aren’t getting enough exercise.

What conditions are covered by a sports physical?

Sports physicals focus on several key areas of your child’s health, including:

·       Heart health

·       Mental health

·       Head injuries, including concussions

Female athletes have additional concerns about menstrual health, bone health, and nutrition, and have a higher chance of experiencing certain bone and joint injuries like anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears in the knee.

If your child has special needs, they also have a set of additional concerns that need to be evaluated to enable them to participate in sports.

If you need to arrange a sports physical for your child, call Night Watch Pediatric Urgent Care or book an appointment online.

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