Before playing school sports, your child must have a complete physical to ensure they can participate safely. At Grandville Pediatrics, Dr. Jeffrey Mantia and his team offer physicals in Grandville, MI, to make sure your child is able to play a sport without a problem and can guide you on ways to make the sport safer for them if need be.

Reasons Why Sports Physicals Are Necessary

You may need to have your child undergo a sports physical in Grandville, MI, if they want to play for a school sports team. Sometimes, even a non-school program may require it.

At this appointment, our physician will look to see that your child is healthy enough to play, and there isn't a good chance your little one will develop an injury or suffer from a health issue induced by the sport.

What Happens During a Sports Physical

First and foremost, we'll have you complete a medical history, which will inquire about any health conditions your child has. We'll then record your child's height and weight and evaluate their blood pressure, pulse, breathing, and heartbeat. We'll also check their vision and look at your child's bones, muscles, and joints. We will also perform palpation on the abdomen and a reflex test. Sometimes, further testing is necessary if we detect any concerns during this visit. 

How We Can Make Sports Safe for Children at Risk

Not every child will be cleared to play sports due to their health concerns. However, even if your child has a health issue, that doesn't mean they're completely out of luck.

For instance, let's say your child has asthma that's not totally under control. Our practitioner can recommend a treatment protocol that can more effectively manage your kid's condition, such as an inhaled corticosteroid in addition to their rescue inhaler.

Sometimes, professional advice is the best medicine when it comes to chronic condition regulation and sports. For instance, we can help you make an action plan if your kid has asthma, so they're aware of what steps to take to breathe well. If diabetes is the problem, we can provide healthy diet recommendations to better manage the condition.

When you bring your child into Grandville Pediatrics to see Dr. Mantia, you see if your child is healthy enough for sports. We offer comprehensive sports physicals in Grandville, MI, and the surrounding communities that evaluate a variety of aspects of your child's health to ensure they remain safe on the court, track, ice, or field.

Contact us for an appointment at (616) 538-2410.