- posted: Jul. 26, 2024
Do you have a child involved in sports? If so, sports physicals in West Jordan, UT, are required. The team of doctors at Southwest Children's Clinic provides a range of pediatric care, including these exams. If any injuries or conditions are discovered during the examination, your doctor will take the appropriate measures to ensure that your child’s condition is properly treated to avoid future complications.
What Do Doctors Check?
A few weeks before any sports season begins, your pediatrician will check your student athletes' existing health conditions. They should be aware of any medication the student is currently prescribed, including anything allergy-related. An allergic reaction could have harsh consequences if it's not handled quickly, particularly those related to breathing. You can expect a physician to check vision, hearing, and vital signs, such as respiratory and heart vitals. Issues related to the heart may require extra testing, as proper cardiovascular functioning is a must for any sport.
Sports physicals at Southwest Children's Clinic in West Jordan, UT involve heart screenings that include checking cardiovascular levels, blood pressure, and blood glucose, as well as the student’s overall weight. Too much weight can apply extra pressure to the heart and affect how much work the heart puts in to pump blood through the vessels. Most school sports teams also have weight limits, so your student may have to lose or gain weight to participate.
How Is Injury Prevented by Sports Physicals?
These checks identify risk factors that can predispose a student to certain injuries and lingering illnesses. For example, if they have fragile bones, allergies to grass or pollen, or muscle knots, all of these can affect their performance. Poor health can make it harder to recover from intense activity on the field or injuries. The physician can advise them on how to maintain or improve nutrition and hydration to continue to nurture a body that needs an extra amount of nourishment to participate in sports. They can also get insight into proper warm-up techniques that can allow them to work with the body and stretch it without injuring it.
Most importantly, these exams are essential for detecting underlying health issues such as heart and respiratory conditions. Students can have better insight into where their physical strengths and weaknesses lie, which can help them choose the sport best suited for them.
The Southwest Children's Clinic medical team is here for your athletic child's needs. Call (801) 563-1975 to schedule regular sports physicals in West Jordan, UT, or make an emergency appointment.
