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Preparticipation athletic examinations: Just how effective are they?

The preparticipation athletic examination (PAE) is designed to identify athletes at risk of injury or sudden death or those with underlying medical conditions that could affect participation. How effective is the PAE in achieving these goals?

Identifying risk of injury

Among young athletes, injuries, particularly those involving the lower extremity, often represent an exacerbation of pre-existing problems. Therefore, it is prudent to ask whether the athlete has experienced a significant injury.

The history's importance in detecting orthopedic problems is underscored by results of a study in which 259 athletes undergoing PAEs were found to have 120 significant injuries, 91.5 percent of which were identified by history alone. The study, "Critical Examination of the 2-minute Orthopedic Screening Examination," was published in American Journal of Diseases of Children (1993;147:1109-1113), and conducted by J.E. Gomez, G.L. Landry and D.T. Bernhardt.