Winter Sports Season Starts Early in Alaska
In Anchorage, winter sports are a big part of growing up. Hockey, skiing, basketball, wrestling, swimming, and more all ramp up as the days get shorter. Many school teams and youth leagues ask for a current sports physical before a child can practice or compete, and sign-up deadlines can sneak up fast in the fall.
Scheduling early helps you avoid a last-minute scramble and leaves time to address anything that comes up during the visit. A physical is also a chance for your child to meet or reconnect with their provider. Kids who feel comfortable at the doctor’s office are more likely to speak up later about pain, dizziness, or other symptoms that matter.
What Happens at a Sports Physical
A sports physical, sometimes called a pre-participation exam, focuses on whether a child is ready to play safely. Your child’s provider will usually:
- Review personal and family medical history, including any fainting, chest pain, or heart concerns during exercise
- Check height, weight, blood pressure, and heart rate
- Listen to the heart and lungs
- Look at posture, joints, flexibility, and strength
- Check vision
- Ask about past injuries, concussions, asthma, and allergies
Bring any forms your school or league requires so your provider can complete them at the visit. If your child has had any new diagnoses, surgeries, or medication changes since their last visit, jot those down too. Family history matters as well, especially any relatives who had heart problems or died suddenly at a young age.
Sports Physical vs. Well-Child Visit
A sports physical is focused on activity readiness. A well-child visit is broader and also looks at growth, development, vaccines, nutrition, sleep, and emotional health. In some cases, both can be handled in one appointment. Ask our team when you schedule so we can plan the right amount of time. At Hillside Family Medicine, appointments are at least thirty minutes long, which leaves room for questions from both you and your child.
Winter-Specific Concerns to Mention
Alaska winters bring their own set of issues for young athletes. Let your provider know if your child has asthma that flares in cold air, a history of frostbite, or past sprains or fractures. Concussions are worth discussing too, especially for hockey players and skiers. Shorter daylight hours can also affect sleep and mood, which in turn affect energy and performance.
Watch for signs of overuse as well. Kids who play the same sport year-round, or who play on more than one team at once, are more prone to aches in the knees, heels, shoulders, and elbows. Mention any pain that lingers after practice rather than waiting for it to get worse.
A sports physical is a good time to talk about practical habits as well: layering for outdoor practice, staying hydrated even when it is cold, and building up gradually instead of jumping into full training after a long break. If your child takes medication for asthma or allergies, ask how to handle it on practice and game days.
One Clinic for the Whole Family
Our providers care for children as part of the whole family, from newborn checks through the teen years. When your child already sees us, their sports physical is done by a team that knows their history rather than someone meeting them for the first time. That continuity makes it easier to spot changes and follow up on anything that needs attention later in the season. Parents can use the visit for their own questions too, from sleep schedules to screen time to good nutrition for growing athletes.
To schedule a winter sports physical or a well-child visit, contact Hillside Family Medicine in South Anchorage. We will help you get your child checked and ready for the season ahead.
