Sports are an excellent physical and social outlet for children. If your child needs a sports physical before the upcoming season, Elizabeth Grigoryan, MD, performs thorough exams at her self-titled office Elizabeth Grigoryan MD, located in Glendale, California. Many sports teams require physicals before allowing children to play on competitive sports teams. For more information on sports physical exams, call All-In Medical Center, or schedule an appointment online today.

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What are sports physical exams?

Sports physicals are full-body exams to assess your child’s health and fitness. Many competitive, community, and school sports teams require these exams to participate. 

Similar to an annual physical, a sports exam focuses on your child’s physical health. However, it also evaluates your child’s bone health and strength through specific muscle and flexibility tests to assess their fitness for sports.

What happens during sports physical exams?

Sports physicals consist of two portions: a medical history review and a physical evaluation.

Medical history review

During the medical history portion of a sports physical, Dr. Grigoryan may ask you questions regarding your child’s family history of diseases, allergies, current medications, past injuries, previous surgeries or hospitalizations, and chronic conditions.

She may also ask whether your child has ever passed out or had trouble breathing during physical activity.

Physical exam

The physical portion of your child’s exam is a thorough evaluation in which Dr. Grigoryan:

  • Records their height and weight
  • Checks their vitals
  • Tests their hearing and vision
  • Looks inside their ears, nose, and throat
  • Listens to their heart and lungs
  • Palpates their abdomen

During this part of the exam, Dr. Grigoryan also evaluates your child’s posture and joint function before testing their strength and flexibility.

What happens after sports physical exams?

If Dr. Grigoryan doesn’t find concerns during your child’s sports physical, she clears them to play. Certain conditions, such as asthma — a chronic condition that causes inflammation in the airways — may require additional treatment before your child can safely play sports.

Depending on the reason for your child’s delayed clearance, Dr. Grigoryan may recommend:

  • Medication
  • Inhaler
  • Supplements
  • Physical therapy
  • Additional testing (blood work, imaging scans, etc.)

Sometimes, she may ask you to return to the office for a second exam to further investigate your child’s condition.

Not all states, schools, or competitive teams require sports physicals, but California does. Experienced physicians like Dr. Grigoryan always recommend these exams to identify any concerning changes to your child’s health and fitness before they start a new season.

To learn more about sports physical exams, call All-In Medical Center, or schedule an appointment online today.