Why the sports physical matters
A sports physical, also called a pre-participation physical evaluation (PPE), checks whether it's safe for your student to play and looks for anything that should be addressed before the season. In Ohio, high school athletes need a completed physical and signed forms on file before they can practice or compete.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) notes that the exam works best when it's done by a provider who knows the athlete and has their medical record on hand. That's one reason many families choose their family doctor for sports physicals instead of a one-time screening event.
Start with the right OHSAA form
The OHSAA posts the current forms on its Pre-Participation Physical Exam Form page. Make sure you download the version for the school year your student will be playing. A Spanish version of the history form is also available there.
According to the OHSAA's instructions, the full packet includes:
- A history form for the student and parent or guardian to complete
- A supplement for athletes with disabilities
- A physical exam form and a medical eligibility form, which the provider completes
- An OHSAA authorization (HIPAA) form and an OHSAA consent form
- A concussion form and a sudden cardiac arrest form from the Ohio Department of Health
The OHSAA says all four consent forms must be signed before a student can take part in any athletics at a member school. Your school may also use its own system for collecting forms, so check with your athletic office about how and when to turn them in.
What to bring to the visit
- The OHSAA packet, printed, with the history pages filled out and the student and parent sections signed. If your school, camp or club uses a different form, bring that one.
- Glasses or contact lenses, if your student wears them, for the vision check.
- A list of current medications, including inhalers, allergy medicines and anything taken only before exercise.
- Family health history, especially any relatives who had heart problems or died suddenly at a young age.
- Past injuries and concussions, with dates if you have them, and any notes from other providers.
- Your insurance card.
Answer the history questions as completely as you can, especially the ones about heart health, fainting and chest pain during exercise. Those answers guide the exam.
When to schedule
The OHSAA says medical clearance must be completed once every 13 months. Plan the physical so it's done well before the first practice and so it stays current through the end of the season. A few weeks of lead time gives you room to deal with anything that comes up, like a follow-up visit or a form that needs another signature.
Late summer is a busy time for physicals, with fall sports, school forms and camps all at once. If you can, call earlier in the summer. Athletes who play more than one sport can often use one physical for the whole year, as long as it stays within the 13-month window and your school accepts it.
Sports medicine experience close to home
Dr. Chris Diatte is board certified in Family Practice and in Sports Medicine, and he completed a Sports Medicine Fellowship with St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. He has volunteered with high school athletic teams, so he knows what young athletes and their parents face during the season. In Ohio, physicians and advanced nurse practitioners can both complete the exam and sign the form, so your student can be seen by any of our providers.
We've cared for families in West Chester Township since 1995, including many Lakota families, along with students from Liberty Township, Mason and Fairfield. If a problem turns up during the exam, such as a past injury that still hurts, we can care for it here. Learn more about our sports and school physicals and our care for joint pain and sports injuries.
Ready to get your athlete cleared for the season? Call Beckett Ridge Family Medicine at (513) 860-4600 to schedule a sports physical.
