New Physical Requirements for Dearborn Student Athletes Include Heart Screenings

Beginning in the 2013-2014 school year, student athletes at Dearborn Public Schools will undergo a more comprehensive health screening prior to participating in sports programs.

Abe Mashour, coordinator of athletics for the district, said DPS will implement the Michigan High School Athletic Association's health physical before the start of the fall season.

The four-page document includes a health history questionnaire that asks about the student's medical history of injury, family health issues, and a history of heart problems, among other issues.

"It's important to keep the health of our student athletes at the forefront of our district," Mashour said. "The MHSAA physical provides a better gauge for detecting a student's overall well-being."

Mashour said coaches and players agree that heart screening is important, given the prevalence of sudden cardiac death among athletes in recent years. The American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that 2,000 people under the age of 25 die from sudden cardiac arrest in the United States every year.

According to the MHSAA, the most frequent cause of sudden cardiac arrest in student athletes is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (a thickening of the heart muscle).

In previous years, Mashour said Dearborn used a basic exam form.

"The physical that students took in the past was pretty simple. This is a more thorough examine," he said.

District officials are working with Oakwood Hospital to plan a heart health event for athletes in grades 7-12 this summer. The event would put male and female athletes through a series of tests designed to look for hidden heart defects that are often missed during normal physicals.

Students who do not pass the heart health portion of the physical will be required to provide proof of an electrocardiogram and clearance from a doctor in order to participate in sports, Mashour said.