Athlete screening

Daniel Smit | APA Titled Paediatric Physiotherapist

A clearer picture of health, training and performance

Athlete screening is a structured conversation and assessment that helps guide the next step. It is not a pass/fail test, and no single test can reliably predict who will be injured.

Athlete screening can help an athlete, family, coach and health professional understand what is going well, what may need attention and what would make training safer or more productive. The right assessment depends on the athlete’s age, sport, training demands, health history and goals. It should end with practical priorities—not a label or a risk score on its own.

What can screening help with?

A useful screen can establish a starting point, identify symptoms that need clinical review, highlight relevant strengths or capacity gaps, and connect findings to a practical plan. It may be helpful before a new training phase, when an athlete is returning after injury or illness, when training demands change, or when performance, recovery or confidence has shifted.

For young athletes, screening also needs to account for development. Growth and maturation can change coordination, strength, tolerance to training and recovery needs. These changes vary between individuals and over time, so an assessment should be interpreted in context and repeated when the question or circumstances warrant it—not used to rank athletes by maturity.

What might an athlete screening include?

Screening is not one fixed battery. A clinician may select some or all of the following, depending on the reason for the assessment:

• Health and participation history: Current symptoms, relevant medical history, medication, previous injuries, concussion history where relevant, and any concerns that may affect safe participation. For young people, age-appropriate screening tools and parent or guardian input may be appropriate.
• Injury and training history: The type and timing of previous injuries, current pain or limitation, recent changes in training and competition, and how the athlete is responding to their overall load and recovery.
• Development and wellbeing: For developing athletes, growth and maturation context, sleep, energy, stress and recovery can help explain changes in readiness or performance. Sensitive topics such as eating, menstrual health or low energy availability should be approached respectfully, with privacy and an appropriate referral pathway.
• Sport-specific physical capacity: Where it answers a clear question, assessment may include movement, range of motion, strength, balance, power, speed, or a task that reflects the sport. Where appropriate, VALD ForceDecks and Dynamo+ can be used to assess selected aspects of jump performance, force production and strength, providing a baseline to monitor change. The test should match the athlete’s needs and be interpreted alongside their history and symptoms.
• Goals and environment: The athlete’s own priorities, competition calendar, access to strength training, coaching context and barriers to recovery can all shape what is realistic and useful.

What happens after the assessment?

The findings should be explained in plain language and linked to decisions. Depending on the results, the next step may be a strength or conditioning focus, an injury-prevention programme, a change to training exposure, closer monitoring, further assessment, or referral to a GP, sports physician or another health professional. Some athletes will simply receive a baseline and reassurance that they can continue training, with a plan to review if anything changes.

A screening result is most useful when the athlete understands what it means, what action is recommended and who will follow up. For young people, explanations and decisions should involve the athlete as well as their parent or guardian, in a way that suits their age and preferences.

Can screening predict or prevent injury?

Screening may identify issues that deserve attention, but it cannot forecast an individual injury with certainty. Research reviews have found that commonly used movement screens and isolated physical tests do not accurately predict future sports injuries well enough to be used as stand-alone injury prediction tools. A score should not be used by itself to exclude an athlete, label them “high risk” or make return-to-sport decisions.

Screening can still support care when it leads to an appropriate action—for example, addressing a relevant strength deficit, responding to symptoms, reviewing training and recovery, or referring for medical assessment. Injury prevention is better approached through ongoing, sport-appropriate strategies than through a one-off test.

When should an athlete seek further medical advice?

An athlete should stop exercise and seek prompt medical assessment for concerning symptoms such as chest pain, fainting or near-fainting during exercise, unexplained marked breathlessness, or a sudden significant change in health. New or worsening pain, recurrent injury, persistent fatigue, repeated illness or a notable change in performance also deserves discussion with a health professional.

A practical approach at Strides Performance

At Strides Performance, athlete screening is tailored to the person and the sport. It can combine a physiotherapy history and examination with selected physical tests. Where indicated, VALD ForceDecks and Dynamo+ support objective assessment of selected jump performance, force production and strength measures. Results are interpreted alongside the athlete’s symptoms, history, development and sport demands, then translated into clear priorities for training, rehabilitation or referral. For adolescent athletes, the assessment considers development, sport demands and the athlete’s own goals.

Screening is not a requirement to participate in sport and does not guarantee that injury will be prevented. It is one way to make informed decisions and give an athlete a clearer, more individualised plan.

Would an athlete screening appointment be useful?

An assessment may be useful if you are starting a new training phase, returning from injury, experiencing recurring problems, or want a clearer picture of physical capacity and next steps. To discuss an appointment with Strides Performance in Narre Warren, contact Strides Health Group on 0411 876 851 or admin@strideshealth.com.au.

Download the athlete screening handout (PDF)

References and further reading

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