Sports physicals are not only considered an important step to be taken by professional athletes before competing in games and getting onto the field but is also a requirement among many sports programs that are offered at school. A pre-participation exam sometimes referred to as a PPE, is often requested before students are able to join a team for certain types of sports and games at the school.
These rules apply for children of all ages, including teenagers. While it may be an exciting time for the teenager to participate in a new sport and start to play competitive games against other schools, it is crucial that the student first undergo sports physical to ensure they are healthy enough to compete.
What Is The Purpose Of School Sports Physicals?
The primary purpose of conducting sports physicals among teenagers and students who are interested in playing a specific type of sport at school would be to assure the safety of the individual. There are many diseases and conditions that may have an impact on the student’s performance. Not only this, but some conditions may also put the student at a higher risk of sport-related injuries, which could have further complications for the individual down the road.
For this reason, a sports physical can help to identify such issues before the student starts playing in the sport. During this examination, a clearance may sometimes be given for a specific level of activity, and the student may be advised to avoid overdoing it when they are suffering from certain conditions.
How Does School Sports Physicals Work?
The process is relatively simple and does not tend to take much time. There are many locations where parents can bring their children in order to obtain a sports physical and to provide the student with a clearance report.
Physicians tend to have their own way of conducting these physicals. Some physicians tend to be more thorough in order to ensure they can detect any potential underlying issues that may put the student’s safety at risk.
There are, however, certain goals that are important when a sports physical is conducted. These goals tend to include:
- To assess the general health of the student
- To assess the student’s fitness level
- To take existing injuries into account
- To assess the physical maturity of the student’s body
- To identify any health conditions that may cause a higher risk of injury in the student
The student’s medical history may be requested during this type of examination. This is important, as the physician performing the physical needs to understand if the individual is suffering from any existing conditions. There are various conditions known to interfere with a student or athlete’s ability to perform well on the track – and some of these conditions may cause aggravated symptoms when the student does not closely adhere to instructions provided to them by their physician.
Since sports physicals tend to be relatively quick to perform, urgent care locations throughout the United States can be accessed in order to provide a student with the examination. Once performed, the physician will be able to write a report that can be handed over to the school, informing the appropriate authorities that the individual has been cleared to participate in the sport.