Sports physicals provide an important opportunity to assess the overall health of young athletes, according to OSF HealthCare on June 1. While often viewed as a routine requirement before the school year or sports season, these annual visits allow healthcare providers to evaluate not only physical fitness but also mental and emotional well-being.
Jessica Higgs, MD, primary care managing medical director with OSF Medical Group, said heart health is a key focus during sports physicals. “A big one we screen for is something called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy,” Higgs said. “It’s a change in the way the heart is built that makes it harder for blood to get out of the heart. It can result in sudden death and can be made worse by more activity. The best way to screen it is to have both the parent and student present, because the parent has some family history that maybe the student doesn’t know, so they can say if there are any cardiac issues that run in the family. The kid can also say if they’re having any symptoms, and you can put those things together.”
Providers also use these appointments to check for concerns involving lungs, asthma, previous injuries and concussion history. Higgs said some conditions may develop as students go through puberty and become apparent only when they participate in sports activities: “There are some heart conditions that develop as a student goes through puberty and shortly thereafter. These may be things that don’t impact them when they’re younger but do become an issue when they’re playing sports. Sometimes they’re more willing to tell the doctor than they are to tell their parent when something is bothering them.” If concerns arise during these visits, additional testing such as EKG or imaging may be recommended.
Beyond physical screening, sports physicals serve as annual check-ins on mental health amid pressures from academics and athletics. Overuse injuries are common among youth who specialize early or play year-round without adequate rest. “Actually, everyone should take a break,” Higgs said. “Even if it’s just for a couple weeks, but a couple months is even better… You can encourage them to take a month or two off and see where they’re at.” She encourages families to support children who wish to try different activities: “The student should play what they really love… But if they want to play a different sport for a certain season… it can work a different group of muscles; they can meet new friends and learn new skills.” Most experts recommend delaying specialization until at least age 12.
These appointments include time for private conversations between provider and student about lingering injuries or other concerns students might not share elsewhere. Having both parents and students present during parts of these visits improves accuracy of information provided on required questionnaires developed with organizations like Illinois High School Association.
OSF HealthCare provides guidance on preventive care through its newsroom while operating hospitals, clinics, and urgent-care centers across Illinois and Michigan under an integrated nonprofit system serving urban and rural communities alike, according to the official website.
