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Running requires physical exertion and should not be taken lightly-a sports physical is essential to ensure you do it safely.
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Tests to be done include electrocardiogram and spirography but they take little time and are simple.
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The sports medical examination in Italy, with regional variations, costs between 50 and 100 euros.
It issaid that all you need to run is a pair of running shoes, appropriate clothing and some desire, and you can get started. This is true, but only in part. A sporting activity, whatever its intensity and frequency, requires the body to exert a not inconsiderable amount of effort and, indeed, if practiced intermittently it is certainly more stressful than in a trained individual. With this in mind, among the first things we need to do in order to enjoy our jog one hundred percent is her: the sports medical examination. It is read very often, even in the RunLovers Club on Facebook (come on, I know you’re a member too!) that it’s not that important after all, if you don’t have to race and just run for the pleasure of it. I disagree with these statements, because while it is true that the sports medical examination, when done well (and the way it is thought of in Italy, one of the few countries where it is mandatory to compete, it is done well) still does not preclude us from unforeseen and undiagnosable ailments, it is also true that it gives us an accurate picture of our overall health and that in the stress test it can bring out issues that in the long run could compromise the enjoyment of the activity or worse.
What is it about?
The sports medical examination in Italy is specifically regulated (1) and there are guidelines from the Ministry of Health that lead to a minimum level of checks that are the same for all sports (or categories of sports), but depending on the center where it takes place, in addition to the basic tests, certain examinations and auxiliary tests may be required or proposed. As for running, or it would be better to talk about “Competitive Activity of Athletics,” it falls under what is called Table B, for which there are a series of clinical examinations and physical tests, to be repeated every year (for some sports the validity of the medical certificate is two years, such as golf for example):
- Basic medical examination, including an examination of visual and hearing ability
- Complete urine examination, including a sediment test
- Resting electrocardiogram, to be performed on site
- Exercise electrocardiogram, to be performed on-site using a cycle ergometer
- Spirography, usually performed before the stress test
In addition to these legally required tests, some sports medical centers conduct additional physical tests, such as running in place or stepping on a stool. In addition, as far as clinical examinations are concerned, blood parameter determinations (especially hemoglobin and iron) may also be requested, which can be done at the center itself or a contracted center, or recent ones can be provided in case one has had examinations recently. For this point, I personally always provided the tests I had through blood donation, which I do every three months or so (an additional point in its favor).
YES BUT…HOW MUCH DOES IT COST ME?
This is a question that cannot be answered uniquely. While in fact all procedures and tests are regulated by law, the cost of the certificate is highly variable and depends from area to area, changing depending on the Region, and even within the same Region there can be large differences in price. In addition, many sports clubs have agreements with some medical centers, so their members are entitled to discounts. In general, according to a popular survey done on the RunLovers Club some time ago, prices range from about 50 to 100 euros. Not very little, of course, but if you think about it, we’re talking about your health, so maybe it’s not even that much. One less technical T-shirt in the closet and one more safety check, a good compromise to enjoy every step one hundred percent.
1) Decreto ministeriale 18 febbraio 1982 - Norme per la tutela sanitaria dell'attività sportiva agonistica 2) DGPRE-MDS-P- 0001269-13/01/2021 - Idoneità all’attività sportiva agonistica in atleti non professionisti Covid-19 positivi guariti e in atleti con sintomi suggestivi per Covid-19 in assenza di diagnosi da SARS-CoV-2