A health examination for the purposes of sport and exercise medicine gives an overview of your health and performance capability. Health examinations are meant for professional athletes, amateur athletes and those who only intend to start doing sports. If you do sports or work out, we recommend you undergo a health examination for the purposes of sport and exercise medicine once a year.
The primary objective of the health examination is to find out whether there are any contraindications and/or limitations to doing sports. The examination helps identify health risks that can cause injuries, illnesses or sudden death in the future.
The overview and results of the health examination can help you or your trainer in devising a personal training plan.
Before coming to the health examination appointment, please look at the available health examination packages and choose the one you consider suitable. A referral for the health examination is not necessary.
BEFORE THE EXAMINATION
The health examination is a thorough analysis that requires the athlete’s and the doctor’s cooperation. On the day before the health examination, one can only engage in light physical activity although a day off would be preferable.
The examination should be performed when you feel fit and healthy and there have not been any injuries recently. In case of an acute illness (fever, viruses and infections, coughing, rhinitis), at least two weeks must pass before the examination after you recover.
DAY OF THE EXAMINATION
No workout should be performed on the day of the examination to make sure that its results are valid and the most representative of your health.
It is important that you have a meal 2–3 hours before the examination and are sufficiently hydrated during the day. Do not drink coffee, strong tea or alcohol on the day of the examination; the latter must also be avoided the day before.
Please arrive at the facility for your health examination 15 minutes earlier to change and, if necessary, complete the questionnaire on site.
PLEASE TAKE THE FOLLOWING WITH YOU FOR THE EXAMINATION:
Depending on your training load and the nature of the sport, you can choose among the following health examination packages:
PACKAGE A:
Tests (to be performed by a nurse): weighing, measurement taking, spirometry, resting ECG, body composition test, complete blood count;
Appointment with a SEM doctor (including a questionnaire, physical examination, health examination overview and recommendations);
ECG exercise test on a stationary exercise bicycle ergometer or treadmill (conducted by the SEM doctor).
This health examination will approximately take 1.5–2 hours.
It will be suitable for anyone who would like to know their health condition data regardless of whether they do sports regularly, have just started or intend to start training. The examination will allow risk factors to be taken into consideration and appropriate sport or type of movement to be planned.
PACKAGE B:
All the items included in package A;
Additionally, lactate testing (1–5 times).
This health examination will approximately take 2–2.5 hours.
It will be suitable for professional, fitness and amateur cyclists and runners who monitor their condition and heart rate during workouts. Lactate testing during a sport-specific ECG exercise test on a stationary exercise bicycle ergometer or treadmill will reveal exercise economy (the use of carbohydrates / fatty acids), determine heart rate zones and evaluate training effectiveness.
PACKAGE C:
All the items included in package A;
Additionally, a maximum oxygen consumption test.
This health examination will approximately take 2–2.5 hours.
It will be suitable for those practicing any endurance sports regularly and deliberately as well as athletes with cardiovascular and respiratory issues. The cardiopulmonary exercise test provides a more precise and detailed overview of performance capability and exercise tolerance. The results will describe performance capability, the condition of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems and interconnections of the above.
PACKAGE D:
All the items included in package A;
Additionally, lactate testing (1–5 times) and a maximum oxygen consumption test.
This health examination will approximately take 2–2.5 hours.
It will be suitable for professionals and amateurs practicing and competing in any endurance sport purposefully, who would like to receive an overview of the cardiopulmonary system’s functioning and determine exercise economy. Heart rate zones are determined on the basis of the lactate test results and respiratory metabolism.
If you would like to monitor the dynamics of your exercise tests, we recommend choosing the same package next time.
| You are: | Non-endurance sport | Endurance sport or strength and endurance sport * | Cardiovascular or respiratory issues |
| Fitness beginner | A | A | A, C |
| Fitness regular | A | A, B | C |
| Competing amateur athlete | A | B, C, D | C, D |
| Professional athlete | A | B, C, D | C, D |
* endurance sports or strength and endurance sports are, for example, canoeing, biathlon, cycling, middle and long distance running, speed walking, decathlon, cross-country skiing, orienteering, Nordic combined, rowing, triathlon, swimming, etc.
If necessary, you can also choose the suitable health examination package during your consultation with the SEM doctor.
The health examination starts with a questionnaire. The properly completed questionnaire will greatly help your doctor in this health examination and providing evaluations and advice. The information in the questionnaire is confidential.
The questionnaire can be filled out on site, but we kindly ask you to do it in advance, sign it digitally and based on the location of the appointment send it by e-mail to veerenni@sportmed.ee or viimsi@sportmed.ee . Alternatively you can print it out and take it with you to the health examination so that we can provide faster service.
THE QUESTIONNAIRE IS AVAILABLE HERE.