Why Sports Physicals Are Necessary for Injury Prevention

Getting into sports for the first time is as scary as it is exciting. You will make great memories and get in shape, but you also need to be ready to deal with painful practices and the potential for injury. To make sure that you or your child is ready for sports, you should consider a sports physical to understand how to prevent injuries. 

The Goal of a Sports Physical

In case you are wondering what is a sports physical, we want to shed some light on these very important assessments. Essentially, a sports physical is a checkup that includes certain tests and questions to make sure an athlete is ready for the demands of a given sport.

Sport physicals may address underlying issues or provide help to issues that may come up. If you are looking to prevent injuries in sports, a sports physical will be a great way to go about it. 

Why Sports Physicals Are Essential For Injury Prevention

Assess an Athlete’s Health 

Many sports injuries occur because of health issues that were not addressed earlier. You may think getting tackled the wrong way and falling causes many injuries, but that’s just a small subset of sports injuries. For example, someone might sustain an injury because of poor mobility in their legs that was never addressed because they skipped a sports physical. If a sports physical picks up on that lack of mobility, the doctor can make recommendations to prevent  injuries. 

Checks Vital Areas 

Many athletes don’t realize that they are at risk for an injury until it’s too late. Vital areas including vision, breathing, and response time are all areas that need to be checked prior to activity. For example, finding vision problems in a physical can prevent an athlete from being hit in the face with a ball. 

Considers Previous Health Issues 

Previous health issues are not too common in younger children, but they can still be a burden to deal with. One of the more common health issues that affect athletic performance is asthma. If you find a sports physical near me, you can find out things like whether your athlete has breathing issues that could affect their performance. You don’t want to realize your child has asthma as they are panting heavily on the first day of practice. 

Gives Recommendations Based on Results 

At the end of the physical, the doctor can make recommendations to prevent injuries. A sports physical will provide you with all the information you need to know about yourself or your child. With this information in hand, you may realize it is time to get glasses or to stretch to prevent injuries. 

Keep You Safe From Potential risks 

The reason sports many leagues require physicals is that they reduce risk for athletes. If a physician says you are not cleared to play a particular sport, there is likely a good reason for it. 

From past issues that may interfere with performance to underlying health problems, a number of issues can make it dangerous for some people to play specific sports. While it may feel unfair initially, you will be glad you or your child weren’t allowed to play a sport that could seriously hurt you or your child. 

Get in Touch

A sports physical is your best bet to prevent injuries on and off the field. Reach out to BASS Primary Care to learn more about how you can prevent future injuries in sports for you and your children. You can reach us at (925) 962-9120.