PreParticipation Physical Examination

1
Pre-Participation Physical Examination

• A Principle Tool for Injury Prevention

2
Principles Governing PPE

• Collects medical info about athlete to ensure
  readiness to participate in a sport
• Design of PPE should allow assessment of risk
  factors detect any disease /or injury that
  might create problems
• Each question should be understandable
• Ensure instruments used are properly calibrated
• Each instrument used in PPE should be valid
  reliable

3
Goals of PPE (Kibler, 1990)

• Provide an objective, sport-specific
  musculoskeletal exam
• Obtain (-) information that alters participation
• Obtain () information to decrease injury
  potential increase performance
• Provide a reproducible record for comparison in
  the future
• Provide baseline data for sport-specific
  conditioning

4
Timing Frequency of PPE

• Timing
• Researchers say to perform PPE 4-8 weeks prior to
  start of season
• Allows time to f/u on evals, rehab, etc.
• Some say at beginning of season
• Some say in the season prior to start (i.e.
  May/June for fall sports)
• Frequency
• Beginning of each sport season
• Beginning of each year
• At new level of competition (high school)
• Health history update each year

5
Components of PPE

• Medical history
• Medical examination
• Cardiovascular screening
• Sport specificity
• Mental status
• Medical disqualification

6
Personnel

• General practice physician
• Orthopedist
• Cardiologist
• Athletic trainer
• Exercise physiologist
• Psychologist
• School nurse
• Strength coach

7
Stations

• Height weight
• Vision
• Cardiovascular
• Blood pressure
• Urine analysis
• Orthopedic assessment
• General medical (ENT, chest, skin, genitalia,
  etc.)
• Strength flexibility