The human body changes during puberty both externally and internally in a variety of ways. One of these internal changes is the structure of the heart. In middle school, student athletes learn how to push their bodies to new levels as they mature and get bigger and stronger. Because of these physical changes and the increased stresses on a student athlete's heart, cardiac screening should be part of a physical at least once while in middle school and once in high school.
The simple cardiac screening can help detect health problems before they become major medical issues. While it’s recommended all student athletes get an ECG at least once in middle school and once in high school, individuals should definitely be screened if they:
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compete in high impact sports that increases heart rate for long periods of time
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have a family history indicating that there is a heart disease risk
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get dizziness during athletics
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experience fainting spells or weakness while participating
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get shortness of breath that does not clear quickly
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get chest pain while participating