We have all heard the tragic stories of a young and seemingly healthy athlete who appears fine one moment and is gone the next.   Almost every case of sudden death with physical activity is linked to a rare genetically inherited heart malformation called hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy or HOCM (pronounced Ho-come).  Believe it or not, a simple listen to an athlete’s heart with a stethascope and having the patient squat or hold their breath, will allow a skilled Family Medicine doctor to identify this potentially fatal heart condition.  An ultrasound is used as a second step to confirm the diagnosis, and doing so will save an athletes life.

Asthma is the most commonly treated lung disease in the nation, and yet many young athletes and their parents are unaware that it exists until it becomes a more serious problem.  During a Sports Physical, be sure to describe any wheezing, coughing, or shortness of breath during exercise.  Take special note of the time of year, the outside temperature, and the types of activities that trigger these symptoms as this information is key for your Family Medicine doctor to treat your child’s asthma correctly.  While only 70-80 years ago, a diagnosis of asthma could mean early death, modern therapies avoid the long term lung complications and allow athletes with asthma to compete just as well as their unafflicted teammates.   Being aware of the early signs of asthma are key for helping your child get the treatment they need at an early stage, and the Sports Physical is an excellent time to discuss this with your doctor.

I am always amazed at the number of common issues that I find during a Sports Physical Exam that are important for parents to understand.  Delayed puberty, diabetes, scoliosis, inguinal hernias, depression, anxiety and undescended testicles are only a short list of things we screen for during this important exam.    Getting reliable information from a doctor you know and trust is crucial for helping your child achieve their goals, not only on the athletic field but also in life.