Sports Physicals in Portsmouth, NH

Our medical providers here at Portsmouth Family Care perform sports physicals differently. We always include a conversation about your medical history and a physical exam. We will want to know about your health, your family’s health, your medical problems, and what medicines you are taking.

Sports physicals are similar to your annual checkups, but there are a few added things that are in relation to playing sports. We focus on the health of your lungs, heart, bones, and joints. During the sports physical exam, your doctor may:

• Measure your height and weight
• Measure your blood pressure and pulse
• Vision test
• Checking your heart, lungs, belly, ears, nose, and throat
• Checking your joints, strength, flexibility, and posture

The doctors may also ask you about:

• Your diet
• Your use of any drugs, alcohol, and supplements
• For women: menstrual periods

An individual will get a sports physical usually as a medical checkup that they are safe to play starting a new season or a new sport. Most states do require a sports physical before a child or teen under the age of 18 can play.

Sports physicals do not take precedence over regular medical care or routine checkup; this is in addition to a routine checkup.

A sports physical is important and done to:

• Find out if the player is in good health before playing
• Measure the maturity of the body
• Measure the physical fitness
• Informed of any injuries they may have
• Find out any conditions they may have been born with that could make it more likely for the player to become injured during the sports season

Our medical providers can offer advice and recommendations based on the sport you will be playing to protect yourself from injury and how to safely play with a medical condition or a chronic illness.

Be prepared before your sports physical appointment by having the list below ready to bring in, as well as any questions you may have for our providers during your appointment:

• Allergies (including what kind and if you are taking any medications for them or not)
• List of immunizations as well as dates of them
• List of medications or prescriptions you are taking including over-the-counter, and supplements
• If you wear contact lenses, a dental appliance, orthotics, or have any piercings
• If you have had any chronic illnesses or if you have any illnesses now
• Previous injuries including concussions, broken bones, and dislocated bones
• Any hospitalizations or surgeries you have previously had or that are coming up
• Any instances you have passed out, felt dizzy, had chest pain, heat-induced illnesses, or had trouble breathing during an exercise
• Illnesses within your family including deaths related to sports or exercise
• History of weight loss or gain

We may also send you a form beforehand to fill out to bring with you to the appointment. We ask that you are forthcoming with the information we are asking about, as this will offer you the best advice and recommendations to help you during your sports season or exercises.

There is a multitude of benefits to getting sports physical before starting a new sport or a new season, they include but are not limited to:

• Maximizing the safety participation in the sport or physical activity
• Identifying any life-threatening medical conditions
• Identifying any conditions that may limit your participation in the sport
• Identifying any conditions that may require a treatment plan before going forward with the sport
• Identifying and offering rehabilitation services for old musculoskeletal injuries
• Removing unnecessary restrictions on participation in sports
• Advising children and teens on which sports would be most appropriate for them to participate in safely
• Allowing our doctors time to discuss any important issues or information obtained during the appointment.

We specialize in physicals. If you are looking for a personalized and comprehensive, look no further than Portsmouth Family Care. We are proud to serve our community by offering the highest quality care available, as well as many other health services to ensure you receive comprehensive, whole-body care. When you come to one Portsmouth Family Care, you will be treated with the compassion and respect you deserve. Please schedule an appointment or simply walk into one of our clinics today. We serve patients from Portsmouth NH, Newington NH, Durham NH, Madbury NH, Dover NH, Greenland NH, Stratham NH, and Newfields NH.