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With the fall semester approaching, students across Oklahoma are headed back to activities like sports and marching band. Jonathan Smith, PA-C of Classen Family Medicine in Norman, discussed why an annual sports physical is important.
Why is it so important to get this physical?
Smith: It is something that is important, plays a role. There's a reason why we have kids to do it and there's research behind it. And there's really a few different priorities we have with that.
But some of that is just making sure this kid's ready to go. There are no major glaring physical or metabolic issues that we need to pick up. We'd like to think everybody's seeing their pediatrician once or twice a year doesn't always happen, so sometimes those are opportunities we have to get in there and find some things that could trip the child up.
Then you know, there's sports related things. Are there any injuries from last year those kinds of things to go over? And then we also are trying to make sure, is it safe? Is it safe for the child? Is there any family history we need to worry about or anything like that we want to identify?
So it is important, and a lot of times it's kind of a touch point we have with those kids that may be unique. They may not have seen a healthcare provider before. They may have a PA or doctor or nurse practitioner that they see just on an as-needed basis, so it may have been a while.
What is a healthcare provider looking for during a physical exam?
Smith: We do basics, vitals, vision screenings, that kind of thing. We're doing musculoskeletal exam.
I want to make sure that there's no underlying injury or deformity that might put the kid at risk. And then also we're looking for any evidence of any kind of like heart or lung issues, any cardiopulmonary things that could put the child at risk.
Do they have undiagnosed asthma? This is a big one, do they have a family history of congenital heart disease? We all hear these terrible stories now and then of somebody who collapses on the field or something like that. That is often preventable. So we're trying to look for those kinds of things, make sure we catch them before it's a crisis.
How does the heat change things for students going to activities this fall?
Smith: One big thing we always emphasize is just because you're hydrated doesn't mean you can't get a heat injury, especially when you start putting on helmets and pads and stuff.
Hopefully the kids have been working out and running and doing weights and stuff this summer. Maybe not, right? So conditioning's a big part of that. And if they're not conditioned for the heat, you can get heat injury and exhaustion really quickly.
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What do students need to do to prepare for the exam?
Smith: Part of it is just throughout the summer, getting the kid out and being active. You know, video games is not preparation for fall camp. Tryto keep them active, be active as a family, exercise, do those kinds of things.
And then a big one is if there's some issue that's going on, you know, getting it addressed, getting that child with their primary care, their pediatrician, maybe sports medicine or orthopedics if there's an injury that they have or even just a joint that's giving them trouble.
If they complain their back hurts every morning, get them in to get that checked out. Those are things that you don't want to come up at a sports physical right before school starts and find out, oh, wow, there's an issue here that's going to keep my child from being able to participate.
Not just the diagnosis, but also the follow-up and making sure that it's taken care of.
For options regarding a physical exam, contact your healthcare provider.
