Preparticipation Physical Evaluations & Exams (Sports Physicals)

One of the most important parts of the pre-participation evaluation (PPE) most sports programs require is the taking of a complete medical history. Regardless of what PPE form their child's program uses, parents shoud make sure that the health professional who takes the medical history asks the following questions...

A school or independent youth sports organization (YSO) should require a preparticipation physical exam or evaluation (PPE) before allowing a child to practice or play an organized sport. In most places, not just any PPE form will do. Most schools or sports programs specify the PPE form that has to be completed.

Most experts agree that you should have your child undergo a thorough preparticipation evaluation or sports physical (PPE) every year. Not only can a PPE be an effective tool in identifying athletes who should not be playing sports because they have congenital heart defects or a history of concussions, but it is also useful in identifying medical problems effecting sports participation, such as asthma or the female athlete triad.

A school or team should require preparticipation physical examinations or evaluations (PPE) before allowing a child to practice or play an organized sport. After the sports season is over, a school needs to save the PPE until the child is an adult because children have the right to bring lawsuits as adults for injuries they suffered as children. The problem is that schools and sports programs don't use the same form and sometimes don't save them.