Sports Physical for Kids in Bolingbrook, IL

If your athlete needs a sports physical for kids before tryouts, A2Z Pediatrics can complete it in a short visit. A pediatrician reviews your child’s health history, checks the heart, lungs and joints, and completes the medical section of the school or league form. Your child leaves with a clearance decision.

Call 630-755-5437 to schedule.

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On this page:

1. What is a sports physical?
2. Do Illinois students need one?
3. What happens at the visit
4. What to bring
5. When should you book?
6. One visit for sports, school and vaccines
7. Cost and insurance
8. What the result means
9. Heart health and concussion questions
10. Tips, club teams and camps
11. Our offices and hours
12. FAQs

A sports physical, also called a pre-participation physical exam, checks whether it is safe for your child to play a sport. The doctor looks for health problems that exercise could make worse, such as heart conditions, asthma or old injuries. It is shorter and narrower than a yearly well-child visit.

A well-child visit can double as a sports physical, but a sports physical alone is not a full checkup.

Yes, for school teams that follow IHSA or IESA rules. A physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner must sign the form, and it must be on file with the school before tryouts, practices or games. The exam is valid for 395 days from the date it is done.

Because of that window, a physical done in September can cover a fall season and the following spring, but not the next fall. Many districts simply ask for a new one each school year. Grade requirements differ by district, so ask your school athletic office which form it uses. Some accept the IHSA or IESA form, and some accept the Illinois Child Health Form. You can read the rules at the Illinois High School Association.

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Here is the order we follow.

1. History form. A parent completes it with the athlete. It asks about fainting, chest pain, past injuries, concussions, asthma, medicines and family heart history.
2. Vitals. We check height, weight, blood pressure and pulse.
3. Heart and lungs. The doctor listens for murmurs and breathing problems.
4. Joints and muscles. The doctor checks strength, flexibility, posture and any old injuries, often with a few simple movements.
5. General exam. The doctor looks at ears, nose, throat, skin and abdomen.
6. Clearance and form. The doctor reviews the answers, makes a decision and completes the medical section of the form.

If the history or exam raises a concern, the doctor may recommend more tests, such as an ECG, or a visit with a heart or bone specialist before your child plays.

For a smooth sports physical for kids, bring these items:

• The school or league form, with the parent section already completed and signed
• Your child’s vaccine record
• A list of medicines, inhalers and allergies
• Glasses or contacts, if your child wears them
• Notes on past injuries and concussions: when they happened and what treatment followed
• Your insurance card

Answer the heart questions honestly. Fainting during exercise, chest pain, a racing heart or a close relative who died suddenly before age 35 all matter. Tell the doctor even if your child feels fine now.

Book a sports physical for kids 6 to 8 weeks before the first tryout. That gives you time to fix a problem, such as a pending test or a missing form, without losing a spot on the team. For a fall sport that starts in August, June or July works well.

Do not wait for the week before tryouts. Offices fill up fast in late summer. If your child plays more than one sport, a single physical that is still within the 395-day window can cover the later season.

Many athletes also need a school physical or a vaccine that is due. A pediatric practice can often handle these in one trip. That saves a visit, and it can save money, because insurance usually covers the well-child part. Tell us when you call so we plan enough time.

• Our school physicals cover school, daycare and camp forms.
• Our childhood vaccine page lists the vaccines we give.
• Teens can also see our adolescent health care team.

Call us at 630-755-5437 for our current price on a sports physical for kids. Sports physicals are often not covered by insurance on their own, because plans usually pay for one physical per year. A well-child visit is usually covered, so booking that visit and asking us to complete the sports form at the same time is often the cheaper way.

Ask every office about the total price and whether there is a separate form fee. We can tell you which option fits your plan.

The doctor has three usual outcomes:

• Cleared. Your child can play without limits.
• Cleared with conditions. Your child can play with a plan, such as an asthma action plan or a brace.
• Not cleared yet. More testing or a specialist visit is needed first. Once the issue is settled, your child can be cleared.

Most athletes are cleared at the first visit.

Two parts of the history form deserve extra care. The first is heart health. Doctors ask whether your child has ever fainted or nearly fainted during or after exercise, had chest pain or tightness while playing, or felt the heart race or skip beats. They also ask about family members who had heart disease or died suddenly and unexpectedly at a young age.

The second is concussion history. Bring the dates of any head injury, what the doctor said and how long recovery took. This helps us decide whether your child is ready to play now or needs more time. A sports physical is a screening, so we will refer your child to a specialist if either topic raises a concern.

• Fill out the parent section of the form at home, and sign it. Many schools will not accept a form with a missing signature.
• Bring every form if your child plays more than one sport, so we can complete them together.
• Let your teen answer some questions in their own words. Athletes sometimes remember symptoms that parents miss.
• Wear or bring shorts and a T-shirt. The doctor may check shoulders, knees and ankles.
• Ask about the next steps if your child needs a brace, an inhaler plan or a follow-up visit before the season.

Club teams, summer camps and travel leagues often have their own paperwork. Some accept the same exam and some want a specific form, so ask the coach or camp what they need and bring that form along. If your child already has a physical that is still within the 395-day window, the league may accept it.

Hours: Mon and Wed 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Tue and Thu 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Fri 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Sat 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Sun closed.
Phone: 630-755-5437

Families also come from Naperville, Woodridge, Romeoville and Plainfield. Monday and Wednesday are our latest days if you need an evening visit.

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How long is a sports physical good for in Illinois?

For IHSA and IESA sports, the physical is valid for 395 days from the date of the exam, and the signed form must be on file with the school before tryouts. A physical done early in the school year can often cover that year and the start of the next season. Check your school’s athletic office to be sure.

Does my child need a sports physical every year?

Many Illinois districts ask for a new physical each school year, and the 395-day rule means most athletes need one about once a year. Ask the school which grades require it and which form it uses. Some districts accept a recent school physical form, so check before you book.

Can a sports physical and a school physical be done together?

Often, yes. A pediatric practice can usually complete the sports form, the school physical form and any vaccines that are due in one visit. That saves time, and it can lower cost because insurance often covers the well-child part. Tell us when you call so we plan enough time for everything.

Is a sports physical covered by insurance?

A sports-only physical is often not covered, because plans usually pay for one physical per year, and that is the well-child visit. A well-child visit is usually covered. Booking that visit and asking us to complete the sports form at the same time is often the better way. Call us to check your plan.

What if my child has asthma or ADHD?

Tell the doctor at the visit and bring the medicines. Most athletes with asthma or ADHD can play, often with a plan, such as an asthma action plan. The doctor may suggest a follow-up before the season so your child plays safely. Never skip prescribed medicines before a game or practice without asking the doctor first.

Do you complete school and IHSA forms?

Bring the school or league form with the parent section filled out and signed, and the doctor completes the medical section at the visit. If the school needs a specific form, such as the IHSA or IESA form, bring that one or tell us when you call so we can make sure it is ready.

How do I schedule a sports physical?

Please call 630-755-5437 to schedule. Appointments help us reserve time for the exam, your forms and any vaccines that are due, especially in late summer when many families come in at once. Calling ahead also lets us tell you what to bring and answer questions about the current price.

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