How To Prepare For a Sports Physical

Every state requires that students fill out a sports physical form and receive a physical in order to take part in sports at their school. The purpose of a sports physical form, or Pre-Participation Evaluation (PPE), is to ensure that your child does not have any medical conditions that could put them at risk of injury or illness during a sports activity. If your child does happen to have an injury or illness, a doctor or specialist can help them recover so that they will be able to join their school’s sports team. 

Filling Out a Sports Physical Form 

To prepare for filling out a sports physical form, you will need to be ready to provide certain information about your child. This form is considered to be the most important aspect of a sports physical, as it helps guide the doctor toward any potential medical problems. Your child’s sports physical form will ask a variety of questions concerning past injuries, previous surgery, previous hospitalization, past and present illnesses (such as diabetes or asthma), family illness history, and medications (prescription medications, herbal supplements, or over-the-counter medications). You will also need to answer if your child has experienced chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or fainting during exercise. The main goal of a sports physical form is not to determine whether or not your child can play sports, but instead is there to help your child recover from any problems that could keep them from playing in sports activities. 

Preparing For a Sports Physical

The sports physical will be done by a doctor. You can expect the doctor to ask your child about their sleep, nutrition, hydration, mental health, and hormone changes. Their questions will depend on the age and gender of your child, as both these can factor into particular problems.  The doctor will check your child’s throat, nose, ears, abdomen, lungs, and heart. They will also check their weight, height, strength, flexibility, joints, posture, vision, blood pressure, and pulse. The doctor will also want to know if your child has used drugs, alcohol, steroids, dietary supplements, or weight-loss supplements. If there is something wrong with your child, such as shortness of breath, the doctor will work to help aid the problem. For example, if your child has asthma, the doctor may prescribe them a new inhaler to make running easier. 

Preparing For a Specialist Appointment

If a doctor finds that something is wrong during your child’s physical, they may recommend that you see a specialist. This does not mean that your child will not be able to take part in sports, but instead is done to help them get back to playing on the field as soon as possible. A specialist will notice things that a doctor isn’t trained to, such as the way your child runs. They may find that it is a problem as simple as poorly cushioned shoes, or an injury that hasn’t had the proper time to heal. 

Sports Physical Near Me

If you are in search of a clean, safe location to take your child for a sports physical, BASS Urgent Care in the Shadelands area of Walnut Creek, California. Our facility is cleaned using the CDC’s hygiene recommendations and is low-risk, meaning that it is safe for you and your child to enter for an appointment. Additionally, we offer treatment for sports injuries, x-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and more (test results will be returned in under 24 hours). In the case of an emergency, Bass Advanced Urgent Care has the ability to get your child in quickly for a visit, whereas hospitals would have you wait for hours. To Schedule an appointment with BASS Urgent Care give us a call at (925) 329-3718.