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If your child loves sports, it’s not too soon to book an appointment for a sports physical to make sure they’re ready for summer and fall sports.
Why do kids need physicals before the summer sports season? There are plenty of reasons.
Some sports teams took a break during the pandemic. And whether your child was attending virtual or in-person classes, both can be pretty sedentary. Not to mention that a lot of pre-teens and teens were glued to their phones during the height of COVID-19.
Dr. Ugonma Okparaocha and her team at Laurel Pediatric & Teen Medical Center are child and teen health care experts in whom you can place your trust. Learn what our team can do for your kids and teens before they start their summer and fall sports activities.
Here’s why sports physicals are important and what to expect.
One of the most important reasons for a sports physical is prevention. There have been instances of teens who have had cardiac arrest because of an undiagnosed heart condition. It happens to about 2,000 youth per year.
Sports physicals also pay more attention to specific body systems than occurs in regular physicals. We give special attention to your child’s heart and cardiovascular health to make sure they’re ready to play cardio-intensive sports like swimming or soccer.
When you go for an annual physical exam, your health provider can spot changes in your health earlier rather than later. And early treatment yields improved outcomes if you do have a health problem.
Sports physicals work in much the same way because they inform you about your child’s health and growth benchmarks.
In fact, regular sports physicals use information from your child’s past development to help you make decisions about their future health. We give you information to help you optimally prepare for your child’s next season of physical activity.
If your child broke an arm or leg or had a previous soft tissue injury, a sports physical shows us whether the injury has healed normally or if your child has experienced any other complications. Growth plate fractures can be problematic, leading to a crooked arm or stunted growth.
The caring team at Laurel Pediatric & Teen Medical Center can analyze trends across multiple visits with your child. This information helps us give your family the best advice possible to manage an existing health issue and prevent future ones.
Most sports programs require your child to complete a sports physical before they can participate. Coaches want to be sure your child can play the sport without causing damage to their health.
Before the sports season begins, it’s important for you and your child’s coaches to know about any underlying health concerns that would make participating in sports difficult or dangerous.
Call Laurel Pediatric & Teen Medical Center at 410-504-6676 or request an appointment online for your child’s sports physical to make sure they are ready for the upcoming season.
