Preparticipation health screening of young athletes

The major purpose of the preparticipation physical examination of athletes is to screen for conditions that could predispose the athlete to injury or death. However, this examinations offered to many of the athletes in this country fail to adequately accomplish this. This study analyzed the preparticipation health exams of prospective sports participants from all public schools in Richmond County, Georgia for two consecutive years. We sought to identify the components of a preparticipation exam which most accurately identified athletes who were at risk of sustaining injury. The most frequently reported problems on the health history were previous injuries, previous hospitalizations, and joint problems. These were consistent over the two years. The problems recorded most frequently on the physical exam involved the lower extremities, mouth, teeth, heart, eyes, and genitalia. However the prevalence of abnormalities found during the first year of the study was significantly lower than that identified in the second study. Analysis of the findings resulted in a more standardized approach to the examination and in an improved examination form.