Category Archives: sports physicals

Keep Your Kids Hydrated This Summer

Athletics stay hydrated for sports

Are your kids staying healthy and hydrated this summer while competing in their athletics? This summer is a scorcher and the sun can be brutal. Here is some information on dehydration for you to use to ensure their safety on and off the field!

Proper Hydration for Sports is Essential

Sometimes children are so focused on winning or placing first in a race that they forget or even ignore the fact that they are thirsty. Because of this, it is the parent’s responsibility to pay attention to their child’s hydration. Here are some signs to tell if your child is starting to become or is already dehydrated:

  • Emerging Headache
  • Poor concentration
  • Lethargy
  • Dizziness
  • Confusion

High school teams are starting soon. Football, volleyball, golf, swimming, and tennis, just to name a few. It can be hard staying hydrated with two or more practices daily. To fight against dehydration in such busy times, make sure your child takes frequent water breaks. The water will keep their bodies cool and will protect them from heatstroke and other conditions. It will also give them more energy and they will be in better shape when it comes time to get their sports physical! Here are some more summer sun safety tips for your kids.

Sports Physicals at Westland Clinic

Has your student-athlete gotten a sports physical yet? If not, make an appointment at our local medical clinic serving Wayne County including; Canton, Livonia, Garden City and others. The Westland Clinic is a great place to get a quick and complete sports physical this summer. We are familiar with local schools and have been doing sports physicals in Michigan for over 40 years.

If you would like more information on our sports physical prices, more tips on staying hydrated, or other more generalized information, contact us  or call 734-728-2130. Also, feel free to visit us Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at 6149 N. Wayne Rd. in Westland. We take both walk-ins and appointments, whichever option is best for you. We look forward to meeting you and your child(ren)!

Back to School Physical Exams and Health Tips

After a long summer of hanging out with friends, eating snacks throughout the day, zoning out in front of the TV and staying up until the wee hours of the night, kids are in for a huge adjustment as they return back to school. Most times, children need help when it comes to making that transition because it’s hard for them to get back into the routine they once were on prior to summer break. What’s even more stressful is all of the many appointments you have to schedule just to make sure that your child’s health is in order. However, this school year does not have to be like the last. With the tips that we’ve prepared for you, we hope that this school year will be the best with less stress!

Back to School Health Tips

Back to School health tips

1. Healthy Eating

During the summertime, eating healthy is one of the things that often times get overlooked. Typically, a lot of children spend their summer break eating differently–substituting meals with snacks–but now is the time to put all of that to an end. Before the school year officially begins, get your child in the habit of eating three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Studies have shown that sitting down with your child to have these meals helps to reset the routine. Stocking up on healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, lean protein and whole-grain to meal prep is also quite beneficial.

2. Bedtimes for Kids

Setting your child’s bedtime earlier each evening prior to school starting is a good way to help your child transition back to waking up early. Children essentially need about 9+ hours of sleep each night, so by doing this will help your kid stay healthy and focused throughout the day. Sticking with the same routine is very important. Be sure not to allow for the weekends to become free days of doing whatever.

3. School Physical Exams

Physical Exams Westland Clinic

The start of a new school year means it’s time for school physical exams. One of the most common annual exams for students is sports physicals with a family doctor. Meeting with your child’s  doctor each year helps to ensure that your child’s vaccinations and medical records are up-to-date. If your child enjoys playing sports and would like to participate in them during the school year, a sports physical will need to be done. Hearing tests, eye exams and dentist appointments are also things to consider when kicking off- the new school year.

We Offer School Physicals at Westland Clinic

Are you currently looking for a place that offers back to school physical exams, sports physicals and vaccinations in the Westland, Inkster or Garden City area? Westland Clinic is the place to go. Contact us to set up your child’s appointment today. We look forward to seeing you and your child very soon.

Common Sports Injuries

It’s never good or fun to be injured, causing you to be out of a game. Depending on how severe the sports injury is, will stretching to avoid sports injuriesdetermine what further actions need to be taken. At Westland Clinic, our goal for kids playing sports and athletes is to help minimize the effects of injuries. We also want to make sure further or greater injury does not occur. We want our male and female athletes to stay in the game!

In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, exercising is vital. One thing you should do and in some cases be required to do, is have a sports physical. No matter if you enjoy running, playing baseball, basketball or another sport, staying active and making sure you are healthy enough for sports is imperative. However, as with any sport that you play, there are often injuries. Here are a few common sports injuries that people playing sports should be aware of.

What Are Some Common Sports Injuries?

Shoulder injuries:

Shoulder injuries can occur in sports such as tennis, weightlifting, swimming, and baseball. Daily activities like these can cause:

  • Frozen shoulder-stiffness of the tendons, muscle, and ligaments in the shoulder, causing pain or difficulty with the movements of the body.
  • Shoulder instability-the shoulder joint is dislocated, making it feel as if the shoulder is out of place.
  • Rotator cuff tendinitis-an inflammation and irritation of a group of tendons and muscles that forms around the rotator cuff.
  • Rotator cuff tear-pain, weakness, and a limited usage of motion that is caused due to the tearing of one or more rotator cuff tendons or muscles.

Back injuries:

Back pain is very common, especially for people with healthy, active lifestyles. You may experience back pain with sports that require a lot of repetitive twisting such as gymnastics, golf, dance, cheer, and baseball. Back pain can lead to back injuries if not treated with care. These include:

  • Herniated disk-the disk or rubbery cushion between the vertebra ruptures.
  • Spondylolisthesis-the spine vertebra moves out of position onto a lower bone.
  • Ligament/muscle strains-the tearing of a ligament or an injury to the muscle.

Leg injuries:

There are two types of leg injuries in sports, overuse injuries and sudden (acute) injuries.

Overuse InjuriesSports Injuries

Overuse injuries occurs when certain sports require a lot of jumping or running. Common overuse injuries include:

  • Muscle strains
  • Shin splints
  • Stress fractures
  • Muscle cramps
  • Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome (CECS)
Sudden (Acute) Injuries

Sudden (acute) injuries occur when performing in a sport that requires a high level of contact such as wrestling, basketball, hockey, and football. These types of injuries usually happen when bending, twisting, or falling and the pain can be sudden and severe. Common sudden (acute) injuries include:

  • Dislocation
  • Muscle ruptures
  • Pulled muscles
  • Broken fractures or bones

What should you do?

When you are first injured, applying the RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) method is recommended. If that doesn’t provide relief and the pain is severeDiagnostics for Sports Injuries, you should see a doctor.  They can see what’s going on by doing an examination of your injury; taking x-rays in many cases or recommending MRI’s along with reviewing your medical history. For prevention and care please contact the Millennium medical center near you. Have your boy or girl had their sports physical yet? In order to play any sport in school, having a sports physical examination is important and often required. Contact our Westland Clinic to set up your sports physical appointment!

Schedule Your Student Sports Physicals!

The school year is beginning soon and NOW is the time to get your student sports physical for fall sports! Call 734.728.2130 now for an appointment! 

Your child or children are anticipating this upcoming school year and looking forward to playing their favorite sports again. The sports physical is something the students anticipate less. It is up to you the parents to make sure that your children are physically ready for sports. There is some misconception that a annual physical examination is the same as sports physical for students. Sports physicals specifically look for things that will affect your child playing sports and help to prevent sport injuries.

What is a sports physical for students and what can I can expect from a sports physical at Westland Clinic ?

During student sports physicals, the doctor looks at the family history to see if students are prone to diseases.  The doctor also looks to see if your child has any injuries or diseases that would put them at risk by playing sports or that could limit the amount of activity that they can handle.

Some problems they try to detect are :sport physicals for students

  • Asthma
  • Epilepsy
  • Vision or hearing problems
  • Genital exam for hernias in males

When or where should a student sports physical be performed?

Ideally, sports physicals for students should be scheduled 6-8 weeks before the season starts.This is to provide time for follow up appointments if needed for treating a condition or doing another exam to clear the student to play. The fall sports season begins soon. Schedule your Metro Detroit Michigan sports physical at the Westland Clinic today!

Is Your Child Ready for Next Season?

More often than not, school sports begin in the midst of summer. From weight training or conditioning, to scrimmages or mock meets. Regardless of what sport your child is participating in at school, having a current physical on file is required before they can participate in any event or practice with the team.

Many schools will have a school sport physical day where student athletes can come to the school and get their physical done by a physician. Because this one day event is for all student athletes, you may get stuck waiting all day, or the day may just not work with your summer schedule.

Millennium Medical Group offers sports physicals for students who plan on playing sports in the 2014-2015 school year. Visit your school office to pick up their required form, schedule and appointment at our Livonia or Westland office, and we will fill out the form during your physical, return the completed for to your school office to ensure that you are ready to play on opening day!

Because sports physicals are very common this time of the year, schedule your appointment today to miss the rush!

school-sports