(Des Moines, IA)
– Middle school and high school athletes from Des Moines and surrounding areas can receive a free sports physical on July 26 at Des Moines University.
Des Moines University (DMU) has offered free sports physicals to local children for years. This year the school will provide free physicals on Saturday, July 26 from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., in DMU’s Medical Education Center, 3200 Grand Avenue in Des Moines. Physicians and students from DMU have partnered with physicians and staff from Iowa Heart Center and Pediatric Cardiology, P.C., as Des Moines University TOPS (Team of Physicians for Students), to provide the exams. In addition to educational information on health topics, the event will also include free EKGs, and ECHOs if indicated. All services are free.
“We know annual health screenings are important and we love giving local families peace of mind that their child has been checked out for health risks,” explained Nancy Thompson, director of community relations.
The EKGs and ECHOs are pain-free screenings of the heart that take only a few minutes to complete. Certified cardiologists will read the results and any unusual findings will be reported for follow up with the child’s physician. Sudden death due to heart problems is rare in young athletes, estimated at one in 200,000. Our goal is to reduce this risk even further by screening before the sports season starts for potential cardiac problems, including other abnormalities that are much less serious but still important for athletes to be aware of.
Each student must bring a completed parental consent form and completed physical history forms with them. All students should wear shorts and t-shirts for the exam to make it easier to do the physical. Females should wear a sports bra.
