Exploring the Importance of Pre-Participation Exams
If you ever participated in youth sports, you probably remember getting a yearly pre-participation exam (sometimes called a sports physical). This assessment is mandatory in New Mexico for young athletes and helps screen for potential medical issues or injury risks before the season kicks off.
What you might not realize is that pre-participation exams have a wealth of benefits for competitive athletes of all ages. A comprehensive pre-participation exam doesn’t just clear you to play; it helps you understand your strengths and weaknesses as an athlete. Identifying muscular imbalances or other impairments before the season begins allows you to address them before they become a problem, leading to reduced injury risk and improved performance overall.
The team at Sievers Sports Medicine proudly offers a pre-participation exam for any athlete looking to improve their game while staying injury-free. Keep reading to learn more about these assessments, including what we screen for and why they matter!
What Do We Test During a Pre-Participation Exam?
A pre-participation is a bit like an annual physical, except it’s tailored to the unique needs of competitive athletes. It consists of six main components:
Medical History
- We’ll start by taking a detailed medical history, including your family medical history, to help us pinpoint whether you’re at risk for any hereditary medical concerns.
Physical Examination
- Next, we’ll review your general health signs, checking your blood pressure, heart rate, height, weight, and so on. If we suspect any issues, we may order lab work as a precaution.
Cardiac Screening
- An important piece of any pre-participation exam is checking for heart abnormalities, such as a heart murmur. Youth and college-aged athletes don’t typically have to worry about cardiac disease, but congenital issues like arrhythmias or cardiomyopathy can be dangerous. We’ll listen to your heart through a stethoscope and can suggest further testing if we suspect a potential problem.
Musculoskeletal Assessments
- These assessments help us understand your body moves. We’ll review your strength, balance, gait, and more, which can help pinpoint potential problem areas you can address with cross-training and rehabilitation–helping prevent sports injuries before they happen.
Functional Testing
- Functional testing involves assessing specific movements you’ll need to maximize athletic performance. It helps ensure you’re using proper posture and proper form with specific movements that mimic daily and sport-specific activities, helping to prevent injuries.
Screening for Risk Factors
- Finally, we’ll screen you for other potential health risks, such as neurological or mental health issues.
What Happens Next?
Many young athletes see pre-participation exams as an either/or issue–either you’re cleared to play, or you’re not. In reality, pre-participation exams provide you with a wealth of information to help reduce injury and improve your sports performance.
This is especially true for college athletes trying out for their school team or other competitive adult athletes. Once we complete the exam, Dr. Sievers will provide personalized recommendations regarding your readiness to participate in sports. Even if you don’t get the all-clear, the pre-participation exam is the first step in achieving your athletic goals.
Here are a couple of examples:
- We hear an arrhythmia during your cardiac screening. This could indicate cardiomyopathy, a condition that makes it harder for your heart to pump blood. It’s also the leading cause of cardiac arrest in younger athletes. We can refer you for further testing to confirm.
- We discover you have some biomechanical issues that can affect your running gait. While this might not preclude you from playing, it does put you at a high risk of injury–and may be slowing you down. We can refer you to a physical therapist and/or athletic trainer who can help correct your gait and improve your running speed and form. We might also help you utilize an orthotic device to protect your joints.
- We discover that you may have exercise-induced asthma, which can make it challenging to participate in intense exercise. We’ll work with you to develop an appropriate treatment plan. In some cases, we might order a pulmonary function test to get a complete picture of your condition.
Pre-Participation Exams: Not Just for Kids!
The pre-participation exams at Sievers Sports Medicine benefit athletes and active individuals of all ages. They’re vital in promoting your health and safety, but they also play an important role in helping you meet your sports performance goals.
Whether you’re a weekend warrior wanting to get in top shape for your chosen sport or a college athlete hoping to make the team, schedule a pre-participation exam today!
Vegan Greek Sheet Pan Dinner
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 2 tsps Dijon mustard
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 (350g/ 12.3oz) block extra-firm tofu, drained, and torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced
- 1 bell pepper, sliced
- 1 medium red onion, thickly sliced
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, left whole
- ½ c kalamata olives
- ¼ c vegan feta, crumbled
- Optional for serving: cooked rice, warmed pita bread, vegan tzatziki, hummus, roasted potatoes, fresh oregano, or parsley
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). In a small bowl, add all of the Greek seasoning ingredients, stir and set aside.
- On a large baking sheet, spread the tofu, zucchini, bell pepper, red onion, and cherry tomatoes. Drizzle the Greek seasoning mixture over top and use your hands to toss the ingredients well until everything is well coated in the seasoning.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, stopping to stir halfway through, until everything is cooked and golden brown in some places.
- Remove from the oven then sprinkle over the olives and vegan feta. Serve hot alone or with cooked rice, warmed pita bread, vegan tzatziki, hummus, roasted potatoes, fresh oregano, or parsley, if desired.
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– Sievers Sports Medicine
