Sports physicals are recommended six weeks prior to participation in school athletics. This time allows for vaccines or medical clearances to be completed.
These exams check a child’s overall health with a specific focus on their risk for illness or injury from physical exertion.
Our Tanner Urgent Care centers in Carrollton, Villa Rica and Bremen provide sports physicals on a walk-in basis, providing the clearance and documentation your child needs to participate in school-based athletics.
What do you check for during a physical exam?
When it comes to school-required physicals, we are usually focused on evaluating a child’s risk for illness, injury or trauma.
Most school physicals will include an evaluation of:
- Height and weight
- Heart rate and blood pressure
- Physical health
- Vision — if the athlete wears glasses, please make sure they bring them for corrected vision.
These evaluations help our team ensure that your child can safely participate in school athletics. Additionally, you and your child athlete will complete a review of your family’s medical history to ascertain any risk factors and/or past medical history.
Where should my child get a physical?
You typically have three options for sports physicals:
- Your child’s primary care provider: They may be a pediatrician or family medicine provider, and they will know what evaluations to perform for your child and provide the necessary documentation.
- Tanner Urgent Care: Our team of primary care providers perform hundreds of physicals for younger patients, helping them safely participate in athletics.
- Your local health department: The Department of Public Health offers physicals and is experienced in providing the documentation needed for children to participate in athletics. These services are often offered for a reduced, flat fee or a sliding fee depending on the department.
Go back faster.
You can get your child into an exam room faster with Tanner MyChart’s “On My Way.”
Just use the menu in your Tanner MyChart app on your mobile device or visit TannerUrgentCare.org to find locations, wait times and to use the “On My Way” option.
Get in, get out and get on your way with “On My Way.”