Does my Child Need a Sports Physical?

Anyone with kids knows they have a seemingly endless supply of energy, and harnessing that energy through physical exercise and athletic competition is an excellent way to keep them physically and mentally healthy.

As the spring sports season approaches, now is the time to book your child’s sports physical with Fiona Carroll, MD, of Child & Adolescent Health Center in Lathrup Village, Michigan.

In this month’s blog, Dr. Carroll explains why a sports physical is essential and what to expect from one. 

Sports physicals are a benchmark for children’s health

You probably already know why we emphasize getting physicals for your offspring. They let us check in on you and your kids’ health. When done regularly, they let us know if anything has changed in your physical health. 

Sports physicals are similar; they inform you about your child’s health and growing benchmarks.

However, sports physicals are more specialized. Dr. Carroll pays special attention to your child’s heart and cardiovascular health to ensure that they’re ready to play cardio-intensive sports like swimming or soccer.

Also, if your child has previously suffered an injury, like a muscle strain or a broken bone, a physical shows whether there has been improvement in those areas or if your child has experienced any other issues. 

All of this information helps you optimally prepare for your child’s next season of physical activity.

Regular sports physicals help you plan for the future

A sports physical can help you decide what sports your child can play for the upcoming season. Regular sports physicals use information from your child’s past development to help you decide about their future health.

For instance, between one physical and another, you might learn that your child is repeatedly injured or put at risk of an injury in a specific way. They might suffer concussions, or their asthma might be aggravated over time.

Dr. Carroll uses past physicals and analyzes trends across multiple visits with your child. This information helps us give your family the best advice to manage an existing health issue and prevent future ones.

Sports physicals are required for most programs

Before your child’s sports season begins, you and your child’s coaches need to know about any underlying health concerns that would make participating in sports difficult or dangerous. That’s why most sports programs require a sports physical before the start of the season.

If you have a young athlete in your life, contact our office using the online booking tool or call us at 248-609-1646. 

Don’t wait until it’s too late and risk missing a moment on the field!