Insight Family Health - Good Health Starts Here

Insight Family Health offers school, employment and sports physicals. These exams help ensure that students, employees and athletes can safely engage in activities and identify any potential health issues that could lead to injuries or complications.

A school physical, often called a back-to-school physical or annual well-child checkup, is a health exam performed by a healthcare provider to assess a child’s overall health and development. These exams are typically required by schools and are especially common before starting kindergarten, middle school, or high school. School physicals provide an opportunity to monitor a child’s growth, detect potential health concerns, and ensure they are up-to-date on vaccinations.

School physicals aim to:

1. Ensure a Child’s Readiness for School: By confirming that the child is healthy, developing appropriately, and free from contagious diseases, school physicals help ensure that children can participate fully and safely in school activities.
2. Identify Health Issues Early: Routine exams allow for early identification and intervention for potential health concerns, such as vision or hearing problems, asthma, or developmental delays.
3. Update Immunizations: Schools typically require students to have certain vaccinations before enrollment to protect both the individual child and the school community from preventable diseases.
4. Promote Healthy Lifestyle Habits: The physical includes discussions about nutrition, exercise, sleep, and safe habits, helping to instill a foundation of healthy behaviors from a young age.

A typical school physical includes the following elements:

1. Medical History Review

• The provider reviews the child’s medical history, including any past illnesses, surgeries, or chronic conditions. Family medical history may also be discussed to identify any hereditary risk factors.
• Parents are usually asked about developmental milestones, dietary habits, sleep patterns, and emotional or behavioral concerns.

2. Physical Examination

• Vital Signs: The provider measures height, weight, blood pressure, and pulse to track growth and check for any abnormalities.
• Head-to-Toe Checkup: This includes examining the heart, lungs, abdomen, ears, nose, throat, and skin. The provider may check the lymph nodes, joints, spine, and muscle strength as well.
• Vision and Hearing Screening: Basic vision and hearing tests help identify any sensory issues that may impact learning.
• Musculoskeletal Assessment: The provider may check for scoliosis (spinal curvature) and assess posture, joint flexibility, and overall physical development.

3. Immunizations

• The provider will review the child’s immunization record to ensure all required vaccines are up-to-date. Commonly required vaccines include those for measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, and varicella (chickenpox). Some states also require vaccines for hepatitis and meningitis.

4. Developmental and Behavioral Screening

• For younger children, the provider may assess developmental milestones, such as motor skills, speech, and social behaviors. For older children and teens, this may include discussions about mental health, peer relationships, and any behavioral concerns.

5. Health Education and Guidance

• The provider often speaks with the child and parents about age-appropriate health topics, such as nutrition, exercise, injury prevention, screen time, and emotional well-being.
• For adolescents, the discussion may also include topics like puberty, mental health, substance use, and sexual health in a private, judgment-free manner.

School physicals contribute to overall public health by preventing the spread of communicable diseases, identifying potential health concerns early, and providing families with education on healthful practices. They also help schools create a safer, healthier learning environment and ensure students are physically and mentally prepared to succeed in school.

An employment physical, also known as a pre-employment physical or work physical, is a medical examination that evaluates whether a person is physically and mentally fit to perform the essential duties of a job. Many employers require these exams as part of the hiring process, especially for physically demanding roles or jobs that require safety-sensitive duties, such as those in construction, transportation, or healthcare.

Employment physicals can vary depending on the job's requirements, but they generally include the following components:

Basic Physical Examination

• Vital Signs: The doctor checks blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and respiratory rate.
• General Health Assessment: This includes an evaluation of the heart, lungs, abdomen, ears, eyes, nose, and throat. Any visible signs of illness or underlying health concerns are noted.
• Musculoskeletal Check: The doctor assesses strength, flexibility, posture, and joint health to ensure that the individual can handle physical tasks required by the job.

Drug and Alcohol Screening

• Many employers include drug and alcohol testing in pre-employment physicals to ensure workplace safety. This typically involves a urine or saliva test to detect substances that may impair performance.

Specialized Job-Related Tests

• Vision and Hearing Tests: These tests are particularly important for jobs that involve operating machinery, driving, or tasks requiring acute vision or hearing.
• Physical Ability Testing: This may include strength or endurance tests, especially for physically demanding jobs like lifting, climbing, or prolonged standing. Some employers use functional capacity evaluations to assess these specific skills.
• Respiratory and Pulmonary Tests: For roles involving exposure to dust, chemicals, or confined spaces, lung function tests like spirometry may be conducted.
• Cardiovascular Exam: For some high-risk positions, employers may request a cardiovascular evaluation, including an electrocardiogram (EKG), to check heart health.

Mental Health and Cognitive Screening (if applicable)

• In some cases, cognitive and psychological evaluations may be included to determine whether an individual has the mental resilience and cognitive ability to handle job responsibilities, particularly in high-stress or safety-sensitive roles.

Employment physicals help ensure that new hires are fit for the job and will not pose a safety risk to themselves or others. They help prevent workplace injuries, reduce health-related absences, and improve productivity by identifying any pre-existing conditions that may affect job performance. In some industries, employment physicals are also part of legal or regulatory compliance.

These exams are conducted according to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) guidelines and cannot be used to discriminate against potential employees. Employers must ensure that the exams focus on essential job requirements and reasonable accommodations must be made for disabilities whenever possible.

A sports physical, also known as a pre-participation physical examination (PPE), is a medical check-up focused on assessing an athlete’s health and readiness to participate in sports activities. These exams help ensure that athletes, especially young ones, can safely engage in physical activity and identify any potential health issues that could lead to injuries or complications.

A typical sports physical includes two main parts:  

• Personal and Family Medical History: The physician asks about past illnesses, hospitalizations, surgeries, or chronic conditions (like asthma, heart conditions, or diabetes). Family history of any medical conditions is also reviewed, especially any cardiovascular issues.
• Current Health Concerns: The athlete is asked about any current symptoms, medications, allergies, or past injuries. Information about prior concussions, joint pain, or fractures is also gathered.
• Lifestyle and Behavioral Factors: This includes questions about nutrition, sleep, and substance use.

• Vital Signs: Blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate are measured.
• Vision and Hearing Tests: Basic screening for vision and hearing helps ensure sensory abilities are within safe limits.
• Heart and Lung Exam: The physician listens to the heart and lungs to detect any irregularities, like heart murmurs or breathing issues.
• Musculoskeletal Exam: This part includes a check for joint flexibility, muscle strength, posture, and spine alignment.
• Fitness Assessment: In some cases, the physician may assess the athlete’s overall physical fitness, including endurance, balance, and coordination.
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Sports physicals are crucial for identifying any risk factors that could affect an athlete’s performance or lead to serious health problems, like sudden cardiac arrest, if left undetected. For athletes with specific conditions, the physical may include additional steps to determine safe participation or guidelines for managing the condition during play.

Most schools and sports leagues require a recent sports physical for participation, typically every year or season, to make sure players remain in good health and minimize the risk of injury.

Our team is dedicated to helping you and your family feel better, faster, and to providing the highest level of care for all ages. If you have concerns about School, Employment and Sports Physicals available at Insight Family Health or any other health issues, please don’t hesitate to reach out!  Call our office or simply schedule an appointment online.