EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - Summer vacation is beginning for many students across the United States, and while it may seem early to do so, parents of high schoolers are being encouraged to schedule their children for sports physicals as soon as possible.
These pre-participation physicals are required by the WIAA (Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association) to be completed by student-athletes before their first day of practice.
Furthermore, according to Dr. David Bernhardt, a pediatric sports medicine physician with UW Health Kids and professor of pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, “sports physicals are often the only time that adolescents have time with their primary care provider outside of visits for injuries or illness.”
While it may be tempting to wait a little bit before scheduling these physicals, Bernhardt says that scheduling a physical can take a while, and any delay in completing those physicals is a delay in their child’s ability to participate in school sports.
“Let’s say you wait until the last second and then we find something in that pre-participation evaluation exam that might need further diagnostic testing,” Bernhardt said. “That is going to delay your child or adolescent being cleared to participate.”
Bernhardt’s message to parents is not to simply view these pre-participation physicals as a prerequisite for high school sports, but rather as an evaluation of the various aspects of adolescent health, including mental health—an aspect not often thought about when it comes to school sports.
“We know that somewhere between ten and twenty percent of young people in their teenage years suffer from anxiety or depression, sometimes not even detected until they fill out this questionnaire,” Bernhardt said. “It’s really important to screen for those disorders so that we can get them the help they need.”
Parents are encouraged to complete these physicals through their primary care provider, as this option not only allows for better privacy but also allows care providers to better track their patients’ health over time. Parents who are unable to schedule a physical through their primary care provider should speak with their child’s athletic trainer.
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