Pre-participation Evaluation for Pediatric and Adolescent Athletes in Iran: A Review of Methods, Tools, and Challenges

Background: Pre-participation evaluation (PPE) is an important component of health screening programs for athletes, designed to assess their physical condition and any risk factors associated with possible injuries and illnesses during sports participation. The importance of PPE in preventing injuries among young athletes is widely acknowledged internationally, but it is not properly implemented in Iran because of poor standardization and a lack of appropriately trained personnel.  Objectives: In this study, we aimed to review the evidence about the structure, methods, and models of PPE for child and adolescent athletes in the context of sports medicine practice in Iran.  Methods: This is a narrative review. A comprehensive search of national and international databases was conducted to identify relevant papers.  Results: The findings indicated weaknesses in PPE practice in Iran, with heterogeneity in protocols, lack of comprehensive examiner training, inconsistent frequency and duration of screening, and limited use of standardized history forms and physical exam checklists. Few services are run by sports physicians, and referrals for abnormalities are often unclear. PPE design and integration with comprehensive health promotion programs should be individualized based on age, sport type, and level of performance to improve the system’s impact.  Conclusions: An integrated and evidence-based PPE system should be established and enforced in young athletes to ensure their safety and promote long-term health, through standardizing PPE, improving the sports medicine education, and the implementation of a risk stratification personalized system to improve screening effectiveness and prevent adverse events.

کلیدواژه ها:

Sports medicine ، Athletic injuries ، Physical examination ، Preventive health services ، Pre-participation evaluation (PPE)