Teenagers and younger kids alike are required to take regular physicals and sports physicals every once in a while, especially if they play a sport. Sometimes, the school the kids attend requires both physicals to be done regardless of the sports engagement of the child. But what’s the difference between the two?
What Is a sport physical?
Essentially, a sports physical is necessary for children and teenagers who take part in a sports activity of their choice regularly or want to take up a sport. If you’re wondering where to get a sports physical, think your own physician. They already know the kid’s medical history and will find it easier to assess their physical condition and health in regards to the sport requirements.
And what do they do in a sports physical you may ask? The whole process isn’t overly complicated and won’t take too long. The physician will go through past injuries (if there are some) and check the kid’s current fitness level. Only if these initial assessments show a potential risk to your child’s health will the physician proceed with additional tests. After all, not every minor inconvenience will hinder your child’s desire to play sports completely. However, it’s crucial to establish that with 100% certainty first.
More often than not, these tests involve congenital abnormalities checkups. The physician will measure your kid’s weight, height, and blood pressure, check the heart health, vision, and hearing, as well as assess the condition of muscles, bones, and overall strength and flexibility.
What Is a Regular Physical?
A regular physical is also known as an annual physical. It’s considerably different than the sports physical as it includes the overall development of the child. That said, regular physicals tend to last a bit longer as the kids have to go through a physical, developmental, emotional, and social assessment.
Again, it would be best to put trust in your family physician who’s familiar with your family’s medical history. That way, they’ll be able to compare the child’s health to potential health issues that could be running in the family. So, the first stage of teen physical exams is to go over the physical health completely. The same goes for younger children, too.
Once the physical examination is done, the medical professional will move onto the cognitive and social aspects of the child’s development. This is rather important for all age groups to ensure their ideal emotional growth. However, it can be especially beneficial for teens as the physician is more likely to address the touchy subjects of drugs and alcohol, puberty, relationships, peer pressure, and so on.
Remember, in order for the regular annual physical to go well, you have to establish a healthy and trusting relationship with your child first. After all, they have to be able to trust you in order to trust your judgment in the choice of the physician. Not to mention that they’ll be well aware of the fact that the physician will have to share their findings with you.
Aside from every single aspect dealt with at the sports physical, regular physical will also cover the overall health history of the child, immunization, lab work, eating and sleeping habits, behavioral and emotional development, puberty issues, as well as potential condition prevention.
Is It Possible to Do Both at the Same Time?
Yes, you can always schedule both a sports physical and a regular physical at the same physician at the same time. You can also get in touch with us at Worldwide Pediatrics and Primary Care Group if you don’t have a physician already. However, if there are some actual concerns about previous injuries in regards to the kid’s fitness ability, it might be better to separate the two. Get in touch with us today!
