How is a Sports Physical different from an Annual Wellness Exam?

This back-to-school season, our health clinics throughout Phoenix, AZ are offering students an amazing deal on sports physicals. For only $20, you get a complete physical evaluation, so bring your athletic release forms for cheerleading, band, dance, sports, and other physically active extracurricular programs. This will let you participate in your club or sport for the entire year.

What is the Main Difference between a Sports Physical and a Wellness Exam?

While a sports physical and annual wellness exam may seem like a similar process, they are not actually the same thing. A doctor’s signature on a sports physical form is a legally-binding declaration that you are physically able to participate in a designated sport and are capable of performing the required motions without harming yourself. While the examination itself may seem identical to a wellness exam, it excludes specific tests for other types of health checks. Wellness exams can include blood tests or radiology (x-rays) to help address pre-existing health conditions and gender-specific health matters like breast exams and cervical or prostate checks.

Health benefits aside, getting a signed sports physical is about liability. It protects the school, club or any other fitness-related agency from legal action should you be injured by an unidentified pre-existing condition while playing. Completing both a sports physical and an annual wellness exam is important for you and your family. We encourage you to be proactive and track your health early, so we can help you detect patterns leading to any future health conditions.

If you or your family are interested in receiving a wellness exam at any of our walk-in clinics, here is what you should know. Wellness exams, or annual physicals, allow us to help track our patients’ health for changes in pre-existing conditions, like: