Sports Physicals for Children

Millions of young children play sports in the United States at least once in their lives, if not for many years. With participation in organized sports inevitably comes the necessary sports physical exam, which is done by a local pediatrics group like MacKoul Pediatrics of Cape Coral, to ensure each child is healthy enough to participate. If your child needs a sports physical for the first time, you may be curious as to what is involved.

These exams are relatively quick and easy and are not meant to be challenging for any party involved. Instead, it is simply a means to ensure that a child does not have any previously unknown conditions or abnormalities that could make playing sports dangerous for them. They do this in two ways: a review of prior medical history, and a physical examination of the child.

Medical History

An experienced pediatrician can glean a lot from a child’s medical history. This information will likely show red flags that would never show up during a physical exam. These signs include family history and past hospitalizations. If there are signs of heart issues or defects, or other physical maladies that could be genetic, it can be cause for concern that the family needs to discuss with a doctor before continuing with athletic activity.

Many high schools offer dates when physicals can be completed by many physicians for an entire group of athletes. However, this may make some children uncomfortable, and does not help for those who have children under high school age that need a physical. It also doesn’t offer the personalized care that you can find at your pediatrician’s office.

MacKaul Pediatrics Team is also able to complete the medical history exam and complete the necessary paperwork (which will be discussed below) — and what’s more, they will be far more familiar with your child’s medical history if it’s a local pediatrician your family has been seeing for some time.

Physical Examinations

Every athlete is required to have a physical examination to ensure that health is up to required levels for athletic participation. With football, for example, this holds true from high school football and Pee Wee leagues all the way up to even the NFL.

For high school and below, though, athletes are tested on simple things like physical appearance and healthy vision, blood pressure, breathing, etc. The doctor will sometimes also check for very basic abilities, such as a “duck walk”, to ensure that they are physically capable of certain movements and aren’t going to injure themselves or aggrevate an existing condition.

Paperwork and Documentation

Of course, documenting your child’s well-being is a necessary and important part of the sports physical. Do not show up to a pediatrician without first ensuring that you have all of the required paperwork to turn in for the physical. The paperwork should be readily available online for you, but ask a coach or someone from the school if you have any questions about this. Your local pediatrician should have to fill out questions regarding the medical history and results of any physical examinations that were mentioned above.

In the end, the doctor will check off whether or not they clear the child for athletic activity or if they have any reservations that require further testing. You will be able to discuss any reservations and follow up testing with them. Although it can be stressful needing to take time out of a busy schedule to get the physical taken care of, it does not have to be. Having a reliable local pediatrician group like MacKoul Pediatrics of Cape Coral will make it a much easier process.


About author MacKoul Pediatrics

MacKoul Pediatrics is an amazing local pediatrics office in Cape Coral, FL where caring, compassionate doctors and nurses work with you to keep your children as healthy as possible. MacKoul cares for children from birth to college age, from Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, and beyond.