A sports physical is a medical evaluation performed by a health professional to determine the health and fitness of a person who plays a sport, such as basketball or football. The health professional will examine the athlete’s body, test their fitness levels, and examine their injury history to determine if they are healthy enough to play the requested sport. The health professional will also provide advice on how to improve overall fitness and health, such as what exercises to perform (and how to perform them safely) to improve fitness and what foods to eat to improve health and performance; they may also make recommendations on what supplements to take to improve health and athletic capabilities. The health professional will also provide medical advice on injuries or illnesses, such as when to receive professional medical treatment and what activities to avoid to preserve health.

In general, a sports physical involves:

• Checking vitals, including pulse and blood pressure
• Measuring and recording your weight and height
• An eye examination
• A review of medical history, which includes:
• Any past/recent illnesses, surgeries, or conditions

A fitness check involves:

• A thorough physical exam
• A check of the joints and flexibility
• Education on how to improve health and prevent injury

Sports require strength, agility, flexibility, and a state of health free of medical conditions that could impose physical limitations, such as respiratory illnesses or cardiovascular disease. Because sports are physically demanding, it is imperative to make sure that the children who will be participating in the sport are physically capable and will not experience any adverse health events from activity, exertion, or strain. Because it is impossible to tell a child’s readiness just by looking at them, sports physicals are required before a child can participate as these examinations take a closer look at the many intricacies of health and wellness.

Sports physicals can help young athletes identify any potential health problems, which is vital to avoiding injury and illness while playing sports. Sports physicals also allow physicians to identify potential risk factors associated with the specific sport in which children will be participating, such as soft-tissue injuries or respiratory problems.

Everyone is different and therefore has different health needs, so the ideal time to receive a sports physical can look very different from one situation to the next. In general, it is recommended to receive a sports physical every year or before the start of a new sports season. Sports physicians advise getting a sports physical at least six weeks before starting any new sport; this allows adequate time for follow-ups. A sports physical can also be performed after an injury to assess an athlete’s ability to return to the chosen sport.

There are a number of different medical professionals that can perform sports physicals, including primary care physicians, sports medicine physicians, urgent care doctors, family doctors, and pediatricians.

Bring your child to Inspire Medical Group of California for their next sports physical! Call us today or book an appointment with our sports physical exams specialist, or visit our clinic conveniently located at 333 West El Camino, Suite 230, Sunnyvale, CA 94087. We serve patients in the Bay Area from Sunnyvale, CA, San Jose, CA, Los Altos CA, Santa Clara CA to Cupertino CA, and beyond.