Due to last year’s record number of student-athletes not able to participate in school sports due to insurance insecurities, UW Health Kids will offer sports physical exams for uninsured high school athletes this week.
“Participating in sports offers great physical and mental health benefits, so we want as many kids involved as possible,” UW Health Kids pediatric sports medicine physician Dr. David Bernhardt said in a press release.
The mission of this free sports physical clinic — available on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 6-9 p.m. at Access Community Health Center, 2202 S. Park St., on Madison’s South Side — is to ensure that there are no barriers for youth to access sports-related activities as well as to promote youth physical activity, Bernhardt adds.
The opportunity for the uninsured family to receive free sports physicals will provide the necessary medical clearances for the upcoming school year. The physicals will include examining the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems, which have long been used in the United States to detect conditions that predispose the athlete to injury or illness, Bernhardt explains.
“Participating in sports offers great physical and mental health benefits, so we want as many kids involved as possible,” Bernhardt said.
Pre-registration for Wednesday’s free sports physical clinic is not required, but there is a system of check times that align with last names. The details are as followed:
- Last names starting with A-I should check in at 6 p.m.
- Last names starting with J-R should check in at 7 p.m.
- Last names starting with S-Z should check in at 8 p.m.
