Sports, School Physicals Important for Students’ Health

FAIRBURY - As the end of this school year draws near, Jefferson Community Health and Life in Fairbury reminds parents that if your child is entering Kindergarten, seventh grade, or plans to play sports next year a physical will need to be done.   

For sports physicals, your Primary Care Provider will be able to check the appearance of the athlete including musculoskeletal, check for conditions like asthma as well as cardiac conditions, like a heart murmur, which would put the athlete at risk for serious cardiac conditions or sudden death. 

JCH&L Family medicine provider, Dr, Brett Wergin says these one a year physicals are extremely important.  “A sports physical is completed to evaluate the overall health of an athlete to ensure they can safely do the sport they are enrolled in.”    

Typically, Kindergarten and seventh grade physicals are required to be complete before school starts, and immunizations must be up to date. Immunizations in Jefferson County are offered by Blue Valley Community Action at Jefferson Community Health & Life North Building, 825 22^nd St. Sports physicals are generally required before the first sports conditioning or practice of the new school year.  

At JCH&L Fairbury Clinic, school and sports physicals may be billed to insurance, and may be combined with a well child check if the child has not had a well child check in the last 12 months. Most insurances do not require well child checks to go toward the deductible. JCH&L Fairbury Clinic has also scheduled 2 evenings for sports physical appointments this summer, July 6 and 25, in addition to regular daytime appointments.