What Is the Purpose of a Sports Physical?

You want your child to stay active, and that may mean playing a sport in school. To participate in school sports, your child must have a sports physical. The pediatricians at Tri-Valley Pediatrics provide a wide range of pediatric medicine services, including sports physicals. They have two convenient office locations in Pleasanton, and San Ramon, CA.

What You Need to Know About a Sports Physical

The purpose of a sports physical is to make sure your child is healthy enough to play a sport. A pediatrician needs to evaluate your child and how your child might react physically when your child is active. A sports physical can help identify:

• Breathing problems
• Heart issues
• Musculoskeletal concerns
• Balance and flexibility problems

Consider these important reasons why your child needs a sports physical. Sports physicals are:

• Required before your child can play a sport
• Necessary to determine if your child is healthy enough to play a sport
• A way to identify potential physical difficulties which may happen when your child is active

During your child’s sports physical, the pediatrician will:

• Record a full medical history including any allergies, medications, recent illnesses, surgeries, or hospitalizations
• Perform a complete physical examination including evaluating your child’s musculoskeletal system, heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing
• Check your child’s reflexes, muscle tone, and balance
• Record your child’s height and weight, hearing, and vision

During a sports physical, your pediatrician may also check if your child needs additional doses of required vaccines. Immunizations play a vital role in protecting your child’s health.

A sports physical is an important way of safeguarding your child against injuries or medical conditions. A sports physical can also give you peace of mind, knowing you’ve done everything you can to make sure your child can enjoy playing a sport.

Want To Know More?

To find out more about the purpose of a sports physical and how it can benefit your child, call the pediatricians at Tri-Valley Pediatrics. You can reach them in the Pleasanton, CA, office at (925) 460-8444, or in San Ramon, CA, by calling (925) 380-6230, so call today.