Medical volunteers provide free physicals to high school athletes

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Competing in sports at the high school level can be rewarding, but parents and coaches want to make sure students are healthy and achieving peak performance.

To help them do that, medical professionals donated their time to provide free physical exams for area high school athletes.

Before any high school student can suit up, he or she has to pass a comprehensive physical exam.

Linsey Barber was one of 1,500 high schoolers who got their free physical at the Tupelo Furniture Market.

“I’m very thankful we had the opportunity to come here, get a physical to be able play the sport we really want to play,” Barber said.  She will be a sophomore at Mantachie High School in August.

The free physicals are given by North Mississippi Medical Center’s Sports Medicine Program and include vision, blood pressure, orthopedics and even EKGs if students want them.

“We find so many times kids come to us as athletes and not sure they have problems or they may have things going on with them, we have had kids in the past who they have found heart problems, range of motion problems that affects them,” said Mantachie Coach Kristi Montgomery.

Although the school year is wrapping up, high school athletes will be busy throughout the summer, conditioning and training for next year.  That’s why these free physicals are so timely.

“There’s softball games on Tuesdays, basketball Thursday and Friday, camps for cheer, practices and so it’s all in or all out, that’s what you have to do if you really want to be good at something,” said Layken Inghram, who will be a Senior at Mantachie High School in August.

It also takes a team of volunteers , from doctors, nurses, teachers and students, to offer the free physicals.

In August, the Weston Reed Foundation will offer free EKGs to students as the school year begins.