Vail Health, The Steadman Clinic to offer free physicals for high school athletes

In May, Vail Health and The Steadman Clinic will provide its annual free high school pre-participation physicals to Eagle County student-athletes. The two entities have been providing this service for almost 30 years, with around 250 high school athletes taking advantage of this free offering annually.

Physicals will be offered in both English and Spanish on Friday, May 17 at Battle Mountain High School, and on Friday, May 24 at Eagle Valley High School.

“The goal of offering this pre-participation physical screening at no cost is to make athletics possible for all our high school student-athletes, but the true mission is to keep these young athletes healthy and safe,” said Brandie Martin, director of athletic training for The Steadman Clinic.

The purpose of these high school physicals is to identify any pre-existing health-related issues that can be dangerous to sports participation. They can also determine if a child is healthy enough to participate in sports.

A thorough physical examination before sports participation can prevent injuries and save lives. The state of Colorado’s high school athletic associations require an annual pre-participation physical for participation in school-based sports. While athletics support an active and healthy lifestyle, there are inherent risks of injury, and pre-participation physicals promote the health and safety of young athletes participating in training and competition and identify those who may need additional evaluation before participation.

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If injuries, illness or medical conditions are found, students are given referrals, advice, education and resources to ensure safe sport participation.

Physical details:

• Pre-participation screenings are provided in English and Spanish by physicians and staff from Vail Health and The Steadman Clinic.
• Athletes under age 18 must be accompanied by a guardian.
• Physical forms (available in English and Spanish) must be signed and filled out by a guardian.
• The mandatory forms and additional information are available at VailHealth.org/Community/Community-Outreach/High-School-Physicals.
• Please wear shorts and a T-shirt.