Does your Child Need a Sports Physical?

First published July 2014
Updated Janurary 2026

It’s that time of year again. Time for Pre-Participation Exams (PPE), better known as sports physicals. All young athletes in middle school and older need to have a sports physical to compete in organized activity. So where are you supposed to go to get these done? That question has a couple of different answers. There are various outlets for a young athlete to complete their PPE, the most common one being your pediatrician or primary care provider (PCP). Sports physicals can also take place at your school in a mass physicals setting and also at a walk-in clinic. So, what’s best for your child?

Obviously, there are pros and cons to each of those scenarios but as a sports medicine provider I have my opinions. Our recommendations are that PPEs be done by your pediatrician or PCP. Who better to do a sports physical than your pediatrician who has known you for years, will perform the physical in a controlled setting of the office and can take time to address any questions or concerns? This is because of their extensive medical training, and they know you better than anyone else. Besides the usual sports-related issues that may come up during a PPE, there are often other more common teen-related issues such as depression, anxiety, risk taking behaviors that are more likely to harm a child than a sports injury. These are best addressed by your trusted PCP.

As a sports medicine provider, we do mass sports physicals at various locations including some of our clinic spaces and at the high school itself. Although this may sound like a great option, it is not always the most ideal situation. Athletes and parents show up at designated times, and it is a first come-first serve basis: we can see 200-300 athletes in one evening. At times the room that the actual physical takes place in could be a locker room or a cafeteria, which obviously is not the best place for a great physical exam.

There are pros to the mass physicals: they can be fairly inexpensive and are usually done by sports medicine providers who are in tune to the nuances of sports physicals. Walk-in clinics are inexpensive and convenient due to not having to make an appointment but can be staffed with inexperienced providers. These physicals are better than nothing but overall are not as good as seeing your PCP.

The bottom line is that all kids participating in sports need a PPE and your PCP is the best provider to do that, but if you go elsewhere know the limitations.