ABSTRACT
One of the most significant recent developments in sports medicine, especially in the care of young athletes, is that of more comprehensive pre-participation examinations (sometimes called pre-participation screenings), and the increased use of them in preventing sports injuries. Although pre-participation examinations have long been required for school and sometimes community-based sports, such an evaluation was often little more than a “physical,” with scant attention paid to the specific or excessive demands that a particular sport places on the athlete. Physicians involved in the care of young athletes now agree that the preparticipation examination is a vital component of sports care. The main goals of pre-participation examination are to assess overall health, detect conditions that may cause injury, detect conditions that may disqualify the athlete from participating in certain sports, assess fitness for the chosen sport, and make recommendations for the exercise program.
