Sports Physicals: What Result Interpretation Entails

A sports physical helps patients understand if their body is ready to take part in more intense athletics for the first time or after a period of inactivity. These physicals are essential to athletic health and safety. For younger athletes who have not played sports before, these physicals are a must to ensure no surprises come up on a child’s first day at practice.

We want to help you understand what the information on your sports physical form means so you can be confident that you or your child is ready to play without worry. 

Purpose of a Sports Physical 

Just like a regular yearly physical, the sports physical is designed to detect issues and make sure they can be dealt with before playing sports. For many school children, a sports physical helps to make sure that both parents and the patient understand that certain issues may arise based on a given assessment.

With sports injuries increasing in younger athletes, it is essential that new players get a physical to look for any underlying medical conditions that may affect performance. Let’s see what the results of a test may look like so you can understand how to best interpret them. 

The Results and What They Mean 

Height and Weight Measurements

Very standard measurements for any physical, height and weight measurements are used to see how a patient fits into where they should be for their age. This assessment helps to see if children are growing at the right speed and eating enough to be ready for the intensity of a sport. In most cases, you will already know if there are any height or weight concerns as they would have been addressed at a prior physical. 

Blood Pressure and Pulse Measurements

Another common assessment is to check the blood pressure and resting heart rate of a given patient. These numbers help to make sure the athlete has healthy circulation that will allow them to play sports without issues. Younger athletes rarely have issues with blood pressure. Blood pressure concerns are typically addressed with older patients for whom high blood pressure could be an issue. 

Vision Test Results

Vision tests determine if an athlete needs vision assistance. This is very important as most sports require the athlete to have good vision and a wide field of view. If an athlete does not realize they have vision issues before training, they could be put in potentially harmful situations. Younger athletes getting a sports physical may realize that they now need glasses or contacts to safely participate. 

Vital Bodily Function Results 

Sports physicals also include are flex and breathing assessment to make sure that athletes have standard reaction times and no breathing difficulty at rest. Bringing up breathing issues here is important. Many younger patients could have asthma and might need to be prescribed an inhaler before any activity. 

Physical Mobility Results

One of the last assessments is a physical mobility test. The results of this test are important because they can outline any underlying issues concerning a patient’s mobility. Physical mobility is a large part of sports readiness, so this section should be interpreted carefully. You will likely see different readings for different mobility tests that all come together to give you an idea of overall mobility. 

Get In Touch

When looking for a sports physical near me to get you or a child ready for their first sporting season, reach out to BASS Primary Care at (925) 962-9120 today. We want to help you get the tests you need and understand the results to live a healthy and active life.