If your child has sparked an interest in playing sports and plans to play for a school team or a league, you may want to consider getting a pre-participation physical exam (PPE).
Typically, a PPE is a requirement before your child is able to play in junior high, high school, college, or professional sports. This helps ensure safety in your athlete's training and competition activities.
What does a PPE cover?
During the PPE, your physician may examine your child's past medical history (allergies, birth defects, chicken pox, diabetes, etc.), a sports-specific history (any injuries), family history, and an exam of your child's head, thorax, abdomen and genitalia. Neurological, orthopedic, and additional exams may be performed as well (lab work, x-rays, etc.).
Why are PPEs so important?
Joel Brenner, MD, joins Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss pre-participation physical exams and why they're so important for your child's overall health.
Selected Podcast
Pre-Participation Sports Physicals: Why Are They Important?
Featuring:
Dr. Joel Brenner is an associate professor of pediatrics at the Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) in Norfolk, VA. He is the medical director of the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters sports medicine and adolescent medicine programs, , the Director of the CHKD Sports Concussion program, Dance Medicine program and Running Program. He is trained in pediatrics, sports medicine and adolescent medicine.
Dr. Brenner is the immediate-past chairperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics' Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness.
Currently Dr. Brenner is the team physician for local high schools and Norfolk State University, Governor's School for the Arts, Todd Rosenlieb Dance and Virginia Ballet Theater.
He lectures locally, nationally and internationally on various sports medicine topics including "concussions in youth" and "overuse and over-training in young athletes."
Joel Brenner, MD
Dr. Joel Brenner is an associate professor of pediatrics at the Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) in Norfolk, VA. He is the medical director of the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters sports medicine and adolescent medicine programs, , the Director of the CHKD Sports Concussion program, Dance Medicine program and Running Program. He is trained in pediatrics, sports medicine and adolescent medicine.Dr. Brenner is the immediate-past chairperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics' Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness.
Currently Dr. Brenner is the team physician for local high schools and Norfolk State University, Governor's School for the Arts, Todd Rosenlieb Dance and Virginia Ballet Theater.
He lectures locally, nationally and internationally on various sports medicine topics including "concussions in youth" and "overuse and over-training in young athletes."