Cardiac Screening for Athletes

UKA is alert to its responsibility to all participants in athletics in respect of all aspects of health and safety. One particular area that young athletes and their parents must be aware of is the risk of cardiac problems.

There have been too many instances of young athletes suffering potentially fatal heart conditions without being conscious that they are at risk.

UKA has worked with Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) for several years, providing a screening service to athletes on the World Class Performance Programme. UKA and CRY are now seeking to encourage more athletes to use CRY’s screening service to help to identify any cardiac problems that may be otherwise hidden.

CRY is a charity that was established to raise awareness of conditions that can lead to the sudden cardiac death of young people. They operate a screening programme at a number of clinics around the UK and support this with mobile units that travel to other locations.

Full information about CRY and their services can be found on their website at http://www.c-r-y.org.uk. Young people between the age of 14 and 35 who would like to have cardiac testing can go to www.testmyheart.org.