Healthy Athletes
About Healthy Athlete Screenings
Since 1997, the Special Olympics Healthy Athlete program has been providing free, fun screenings and education for people with intellectual disabilities in the fields of Fit Feet (podiatry), FUNfitness (physical therapy), Health Promotion (better health and well-being), Healthy Hearing (audiology), Special Olympics-Lions Club International Opening Eyes (vision), Special Smiles (dentistry), Strong Minds (mental training), and MedFest (sports physical exams).
Through Healthy Athletes, health care professionals receive training about the specific health care concerns of people with intellectual disabilities and how to ask the right questions, helping them draw out issues. Their interactions with Special Olympics athletes lead to referrals back into the health care system that ensure the individuals will get the treatment they need.
Since the launch of the Healthy Athletes program in 1997, these trained practitioners have provided more than 1.7 million free Healthy Athletes screenings to Special Olympics athletes in more than 134 countries, and have distributed 110,000 free pairs of prescription eyewear. Special Olympics now maintains the largest dataset on the health of people with intellectual disabilities.
Special Olympics BC offers Healthy Athletes screenings in events around the province open to all individuals with intellectual disabilities, as well as at Provincial Games. These events are free for all participants. All the screenings are conducted in a fun, friendly environment where athletes feel welcome and at ease. The screenings are conducted using quality equipment and fun tools to make the experience both valuable and enjoyable.
Watch our video to understand what our free, fun Healthy Athletes screenings are all about!
The Result
Many athletes and caregivers have been surprised to go through the Healthy Athletes screenings and find health issues that have gone undiagnosed through regular health channels. The Budzegan family found that happened for son Carson, an SOBC – Langley athlete. Eye examinations from medical professionals at SOBC’s Healthy Athletes screening day in March 2011 led Carson and his family to seek more tests that showed the then-22 year old was at a critical risk from cataracts. Thanks to these interventions, Carson, an aspiring photographer, was scheduled for surgeries that would help save his sight. Carson’s family diligently cares for him and all his medical needs, but the Healthy Athletes screening helped bring to light a problem that had gone unvoiced until that moment.
The Numbers
Special Olympics BC’s Healthy Athletes Screening Survey showed 29 per cent of caregivers said Healthy Athletes screenings have detected a medical concern that they were otherwise unaware of, and 77.8 per cent of caregivers have felt that attending a Healthy Athletes screening has helped them learn about health care.
Data from B.C. Healthy Athletes screenings from 2011 to September 2016 shows the significant needs and unaddressed issues among our province’s athletes, including:
- More than 93.3 per cent of athletes screened had balance and flexibility issues identified, while 81.9 per cent had strength problems identified;
- 73.7 per cent had gingival signs;
- 63.1 per cent had gait abnormalities;
- 46.9 per cent needed a new eyesight prescription;
- 37.8 per cent had blocked or partially blocked ear canals; and
- 35.6 per cent are obese.
These statistics are all comparable to or higher than the global population of individuals with intellectual disabilities who participated in Healthy Athletes screenings between 2011 and September 2016.
Trying to identify and combat these issues, between 2011 and September 2016 SOBC delivered 3,249 Healthy Athletes screenings in six disciplines (not including screenings in the Strong Minds discipline, a recent addition as a Canadian pilot project).
Healthy Athletes screening disciplines in British Columbia
- Fit Feet (Podiatry) Fit Feet helps Special Olympics athletes step lively on the playing field and in everyday life. Many athletes suffer from foot and ankle pain or deformities that impair their performance. To alleviate these problems, volunteer podiatrists work with athletes to evaluate problems of the feet, ankles, and lower extremity biomechanics. Athletes who require follow up services are referred to local professionals.
- FUNfitness (Physiotherapy) Designed to assess and improve an athlete’s flexibility, functional strength, aerobic capacity, and balance, FUNfitness screenings also educate participants, families, and coaches and provide hands-on opportunities for participants to learn about physical therapy and fitness. Athletes who require followup services are referred to local professionals.
- Health Promotion (Preventative Medicine) Health Promotion uses interactive educational tools and displays, motivational literature, and demonstrations to heighten the awareness of athletes, reinforcing the need to improve and maintain an enhanced level of wellness and self-care. Health Promotion includes fun and interactive education on topics such as sun safety, smoking cessation, nutrition, physical activity, blood pressure, and more – plus lots of free giveaways!
- Healthy Hearing (Audiology) Led by volunteer professionals, Healthy Hearing provides tests for cerumen (ear wax) and otoacoustic emissions (overall hearing). The amount of hearing loss among Special Olympics athletes is much greater than amongst the general population, as most hearing problems are previously undetected or un-served. Athletes who require follow up services are referred to local professionals.
- MedFest (General Medicine) MedFest was created to offer the physical exam that all athletes need prior to participating in Special Olympics sports programming. It is sometimes the first exposure these athletes have to medical care. For some Special Olympics athletes, life-threatening conditions have been identified through MedFest and subsequently treated through referral and connection to community-based care.
- Special Olympics Lions Clubs International Foundation Opening Eyes® (Vision Care) The Special Olympics-Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes program is a vision and eye health screening in partnership with the Lions Clubs International Foundation. Led by volunteer vision care professionals, Opening Eyes is able to offer prescription eyewear, sunglasses, and sports goggles to Special Olympics athletes. Athletes who require follow up services are referred to local professionals.
- Special Smiles® (Dentistry) Special Smiles provides comprehensive oral health care information to participating Special Olympics athletes, including free dental screenings and instructions on correct brushing and flossing techniques. This also includes issuing preventative supplies like toothpaste, toothbrushes, and fluoride varnish. Athletes who require follow-up dental services are referred to local oral health professionals.
- Strong Minds (Mental Health) Strong Minds helps Special Olympics athletes strengthen their coping skills. Competition provides a natural opportunity to develop active strategies for maintaining emotional wellness under stress, such as: thinking positive thoughts, practicing calming routines, and connecting with others. Athletes try a few different strategies as they move through the station. Before exiting, athletes identify the strategies they like best, and volunteers provide them with visual reminders to use these tools in competition and in real life.
For more information, please contact Special Olympics BC's health team at health@specialolympics.bc.ca.
Volunteer
Make a difference by volunteering with Special Olympics BC Healthy Athletes screenings.
