Sports Physicals and How to Prevent Sport Related Injuries

Sports Physicals and How to Prevent Sport Related Injuries

Sprains, strains, scrapes and more. Spring is here and so is the risk of sports injuries. Organized sports provide a number of physical and social benefits for our children after the long, cold winter, but they also come with an increased risk of injury. opens in a new windowAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 2.6 million children are treated in emergency room departments each year for sport and recreation-related injuries.

So what can you do to help your child have a safe and enjoyable sports season?

Prevention starts with annual opens in a new windowsports physicals, according to our team of family practice physicians. The goal of an annual sports physical is to detect conditions that predispose your child to injury and develop strategies to help prevent them. Busy schedules make urgent care an easy option for the in-and-out physical but the American Academy of Family Physicians stresses that medical history is key to prevention, even when it comes to sports related injuries.

Maintaining a relationship with a family doctor and utilizing them for your child’s annual sports physical is the best way to track previous injuries and family history.  Medical history alone may uncover 88% of medical conditions and 67% of musculoskeletal problems during an annual sports physical according to the opens in a new windowAmerican Academy of Family Physicians. A sports physical can be combined with your child’s annual wellness exam to save time.

Accessing a primary care provider is easier than you may think. Many of the family physicians at Rapid City Medical Center as well as the opens in a new windowMedical Center of Spearfish offer same day appointments. Our providers are dedicated to discovering underlying issues to ensure your child has a safe and successful sports season.

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The same rule goes for sports injuries. Keeping records with one physician builds a strong medical history. In most cases, your family physician can make the most accurate diagnosis by reviewing your child’s injury history and performing a thorough clinical exam.

In situations where the need for medical care is dire and your family doctor is unavailable, urgent care or the emergency room are both valid options. In this instance, a follow up call or appointment with your family doctor will help keep your injury history accurate.