Sudden cardiac death during sport is a rare occurrence. But when it does, it is often preventable. Because even if you feel perfectly healthy, you could be ill without realising it. Two early detection examinations may then save your life: the health check-up from the age of 35 and the sports medical check-up for all cyclists who are more ambitious.
Every three years, statutory health insurance companies pay for an examination called a "health check-up" for their policyholders over the age of 35. The aim is to recognise illnesses that are not yet causing symptoms but could become dangerous at some point: Cardiovascular diseases or diabetes, for example. It is best to ask your family doctor whether they can carry out the examination. After a detailed discussion about acute symptoms, your lifestyle and immunisation status, as well as any previous illnesses in your family, the physical examination will follow. The doctor will listen to your heart and lungs, measure your blood pressure, feel your organs and examine your spine and joints. Blood and urine samples are sent to the laboratory and analysed in more detail.
For returners and recreational athletes
The "sports medical check" should be carried out by sports beginners and recreational athletes over the age of 35 who are returning to training after a long break or are planning an extreme sporting challenge - such as crossing the Alps by bike or taking part in a competition. Amateur athletes with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes should also have themselves examined. The aim is to test the body and especially the cardiovascular system for fitness for sport and to detect any undetected pre-existing conditions that could become dangerous during exertion. With success: since such a check has become mandatory in Italy for everyone who wants to take part in a competition, sudden cardiac death during sport is 89 per cent less common there. The sports medical check usually takes place in the practice of a sports physician or in a sports medicine centre. After the preliminary consultation and physical examination, the examination is much more complex than a health check-up: the doctor first measures your heart activity at rest using an electrocardiogram (ECG), with you lying comfortably on your back. Then it gets sporty: during an exercise ECG on the treadmill or a bicycle ergometer, the intensity gradually increases until you reach the end of your exercise programme. Sometimes a body fat measurement is included in the scope of services. Ambitious athletes can take the opportunity to book performance diagnostics or a lung function test at their own expense, if this is possible in the practice of their choice.
For both examinations, you should wear comfortable clothing that is easy to put on and take off. If you have booked a sports medical check with exercise ECG, you will work up a sweat. It therefore makes sense to pack summer sportswear, something to drink and a snack for in between. You should avoid extreme physical exertion the day before, as well as a sumptuous dinner and alcohol. You should come to your health check-up on an empty stomach so that your blood sugar levels can be measured correctly.
Who bears the costs?
The health check-up is free of charge every three years for people aged 35 and over with statutory health insurance. If you are younger, you can also take advantage of the check-up at the expense of your health insurance fund, but only once before your 35th birthday. The sports medical check-up is one of the "individual preventive services" (IGeL) and must therefore be paid for out of your own pocket. However, many health insurance companies reimburse at least part of the costs - provided the examination is carried out by a doctor recommended by the German Society for Sports Medicine and Prevention (DGSP). A list of such practices can be found on the Internet (www.dgsp.de). It is best to enquire with your insurance company before your appointment. Both examinations should end with a discussion in which the doctor explains the findings to you and gives you tips for a healthy life or - after a sports medical check - the right training. If there are any abnormalities, the doctor will order further examinations or refer you to a specialist to get to the bottom of the cause. If everything is in order, you can get back on the saddle with peace of mind: Nothing stands in the way of long spring bike rides!
