Citizens Memorial Hospital | Vitality | Summer 2016

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In the bleachers, you’re your child’s biggest
fan and cheerleader. But you have another
important sports-related role: safety monitor.
Sports injuries are a common safety
concern for school-age athletes. That’s
why Citizens Memorial Hospital (CMH)
suggests that athletes receive a sports
physical from his or her family physician.
The Missouri State High School
Activities Association (MSHSAA) requires
all student-athletes and cheer and dance
teams to have sports physicals completed
prior to the first day of practice.
SCHEDULING
SPORTS PHYSICALS
CMH offers sports physicals at all of the
CMH family medicine clinics. Athletes can
make appointments at their convenience
at any of the CMH family medicine clinics
or they can go to a CMH Walk-In Clinic
with no appointment and receive sports
physicals that also include completing the
necessary sports physical requirements and
paperwork from MSHSAA.
SPORTS INJURIES
After your family physician completes your
student-athlete’s sports physical and says
your child is healthy enough to play, the
next step is keeping him or her from being
sidelined by an injury. There are steps you
can take to help reduce the risks:
» » Ask questions. Learn what your
child’s sports program is doing to
prevent and respond to injuries, such
as ensuring conditioning for players
and safety training for coaches.
» » Get equipped. Depending on the
sport, a helmet, padding, mouthguards
or shinguards, eye protection, and
proper shoes may be needed.
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COMMUNITY
TAGLINE HERE
Athletes score with sports physicals
SPORTS
Call the CMH
Information
Center at 417-
328-6010 to
request a sports
physical for your
student-athlete.
Some clinics
have designated
days for sports
physicals—
check with your
local CMH clinic
for details.
» » Play by the rules. From football to
soccer, many sports have rules designed
to prevent injuries. Make sure your child
knows—and follows—them.
» » Beat the heat. Give your child a water
bottle—and encourage frequent intake.
» » Warm up. Encourage warm-up exercises
before and cool-down exercises after
both practices and games.
» » Don’t downplay concussions. In
general, players with a concussion aren’t
allowed to get back in the game until
medically evaluated and cleared to play.
» » Encourage rest. Athletes need
breaks in between seasons and during
practices and games.
» » Speak up. Teach your child to speak
up if he or she is sick or hurt. And
remember to check with your child’s
doctor should you suspect an injury.
Among the activities that can lead to injury are bicycling, basketball, football and
baseball. Sports injuries can be especially dangerous to kids because their bodies are
still growing. A blow that leaves an adult bruised can cause serious damage to a child’s
developing bones.
Sports injury