How High-Fiber Foods Help Safeguard Your Heart Health
Eating more fiber offers many healthy benefits, including improving the health of your heart. How does fiber safeguard heart health? Click here to learn more.
What to Expect During a Pediatric Sports Physical
Playing sports comes with a number of benefits, including improved social skills, a reduced risk for obesity, and increased self-esteem.
However, some sports are more demanding than others. As a consequence, you may be asked to bring papers to demonstrate that your child is capable of participating in a certain sport.
Sports physicals, or pre-participation physical examinations (PPE), are a great tool for determining if your child is eligible to participate in certain sports. However, they also provide an opportunity for you to seek expert advice on how your child can avoid sports injuries.
Our experts at Bethel Family Medicine conduct sports physicals on a regular basis. Read on to learn how to prepare for the exam, and find out what a sports physical may entail.
How to prepare for a sports physical exam
Bring along your child’s medical records, including a complete list of medications your child is taking, information about your child’s prescription glasses, a complete list of your child’s allergies, and a list of all of the vaccinations your child has received.
Our specialists may ask you about your child’s medical history. You can expect to hear questions about serious illnesses your child has suffered and treatments your child has undergone.
What happens at the office during a sports physical
During the sports physical, you and your child can expect the following:
- Blood pressure tests
- Vision tests
- Heart rate and rhythm tests
- Examination of breathing patterns
- Examination of ears, nose, and throat
- Examination of strength and reflexes
If our specialists detect any issues during the examination, they may recommend further testing. If they don’t find any issues, they’ll complete a set of forms you need to return to your school to prove that your child is able to participate.
How sports physicals can help children with health issues
Chronic health issues don’t always prevent children from playing sports. For example, many children manage to play sports while suffering from asthma as long as they keep their condition under control.
If your child is suffering from a health condition, seeing a specialist may help them improve their performance by changing up their medications.
Get a pediatric sports physical with us in Brockton, Massachusetts
Pediatric sports are a great way to determine if your child is well, and if you need to make adjustments so your child can enjoy playing the sports they love. Contact us to schedule an appointment and get your pediatric sports physical in Brockton, Massachusetts.
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