Fall Sports Clearance & Physical Requirements

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As many will likely already be aware and preparing for, the fall sports season is not far away now. Many will be returning to school and beginning sporting activities if they haven’t already. As they prepare for the upcoming season, making certain they are healthy and able to even be cleared for their sport is vital. That is why it is important for your child to get their pre-season physical performed. Fall sports clearance exams typically involve a comprehensive series of tests done to ensure that participating athletes are fit to be involved in sporting activities.

Sports clearance physicals are typically done at least 6 weeks prior to the season beginning to give adequate time to assess an athlete’s health and safety. Below are some steps you can expect to see during the process:

·         Medical History Review: this is a review of the athlete’s medical history, including current and past medical and surgical issues, and medical history within the family. This will help the medical professionals determine the risk level for the athlete and if they need any further specific testing.

·         Screening for Mental Health: this will often come in the form of a patient health questionnaire of some kind. You can expect to see questions about any depression, anxiety, interests, etc.

·         Physical Examination: this part is a comprehensive test. This often includes stages like vital signs, vision testing, cardiovascular testing, neurologic screening, a comprehensive musculoskeletal exam, and a medical screen.

All these tests are incredibly important to determine if the athlete is truly in a state healthy enough to participate in their desired sport. Often these will be divided into sport classification based on contact, displaying which sporting activities the player is cleared and not cleared to partake in. For example, the medical provider may indicate that the athlete is medically eligible to participate in things like bowling, track, swimming, and volleyball, but not medically eligible to participate in collision contact sports such as soccer, football, wrestling, or cheerleading. They will often be placed in one of these categories:

·         medically eligible for sports without restrictions

·         medically eligible for sports without restriction, but further evaluation needed

·         medically eligible for certain sports listed on the form

·         not medically eligible for any sports, pending further evaluation

·         not medically eligible for any sports

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In the event the athlete is deemed ineligible for certain sporting activities, there are certain procedures that can and must be undergone if they wish to potentially return to play. These will be discussed with the medical provider at the exam depending on the specific diagnosis.

If the athlete has a permanent condition, there are usually 4 categories the medical provider will place them into:

·         Unrestricted Participation: The athlete may play in the sport without any constraints.

·         Clearance With Coach Notification: The athlete is cleared to play the sport, but special accommodation may be warranted in specific circumstances.

·         Deferred Clearance: Clearance to play has not been given at this time, but a treatment plan will be put in place for future evaluation and potential return to play.

·         Disqualification: Clearance is not given, and participation in the sport is strictly prohibited.

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*Contact us here at Sports Medicine Oregon to get a sports physical scheduled today: (503) 692-8700