If your student athlete needs a sports physical for the 2026-27 school year, you can get one free at Total Health Urgent Care in Vancleave, just up Hwy 57 from Ocean Springs. School and sports physicals are completely free for student athletes here, no appointment needed, seven days a week. With fall practice starting in early August, now’s a good time to get it done.
Quick answers before practice starts:
- Cost: free for student athletes at Total Health (many clinics charge $20 to $50 or more).
- Where: 12000 Hwy 57, Vancleave, MS 39565, a short drive from Ocean Springs, Gautier, and Pascagoula.
- Hours: 7am to 7pm every day, walk-ins welcome.
- Deadline pressure: MHSAA football practice begins Monday, August 3, 2026, so come in early.
- Bring: your school or MHSAA pre-participation form with the parent history section filled out.
Where can you get a free sports physical near Ocean Springs?
You can get a free sports physical at Total Health Urgent Care, 12000 Hwy 57 in Vancleave, a quick drive north from Ocean Springs and a short drive from Gautier. School and sports physicals are free for student athletes, and you don’t need an appointment. Just walk in any day of the week between 7am and 7pm. Because we’re a walk-in clinic with on-site X-ray and an in-house lab, you can handle a physical, a nagging ankle, or a pre-practice question in one stop.
Families from across Jackson County come to us, from Ocean Springs, Vancleave, St. Martin, Gautier, and Pascagoula. If you’re closer to Moss Point, D’Iberville, Biloxi, or Gulfport, we’re an easy run up the I-10 corridor.
How much does a sports physical usually cost?
A sports physical often runs $20 to $50 at walk-in clinics, and closer to $60 or $75 at some retail pharmacy clinics. At Total Health Urgent Care, it’s free for student athletes. That’s the whole price, zero. We also post our other self-pay prices up front, so nothing catches you off guard. An office visit runs $130 out of pocket, and an X-ray here on site is $75. We accept most major insurance plans and bill your insurer directly too.
For a family with two or three kids in fall sports, a free physical is real money back in your pocket, right when you’re also buying cleats, pads, and registration fees.
What do they check during a sports physical?
A sports physical, which doctors call a preparticipation physical evaluation, focuses on whether it’s safe for your child to play. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, the exam centers on the heart and the muscles and joints, plus a careful review of personal and family health history. The provider also checks the basics that can flag a hidden problem.
One important note from the American Academy of Pediatrics: a sports physical does not replace your child’s regular yearly checkup. The AAP recommends asking for the sports physical as part of the routine well-child visit, so your child’s full health history stays current. If it’s been a while since a full checkup, our team also offers primary care for the whole family.
Does Mississippi require a sports physical to play school sports?
Yes. The Mississippi High School Activities Association requires each student athlete to pass a medical exam before tryouts or practice every year. The good news for Gulf Coast families: the MHSAA handbook allows the exam to be done by a licensed physician, a nurse practitioner working in collaboration with a physician, or a physician assistant under a physician’s supervision. Total Health was founded by a nurse practitioner, Jennifer Duncan, APRN, MSN, FNP-C, with more than 25 years in emergency and urgent care, so we can perform and sign your athlete’s form.
The MHSAA requires each athlete’s physical to be current for the school year, dated within the year before participation. Rules can vary by school or district, so confirm the exact date your athlete’s form must be signed after with your school’s athletic office. You can read the requirements straight from the source on the MHSAA website.
When should you schedule before fall practice?
Sooner is better. MHSAA football practice begins Monday, August 3, 2026, with volleyball and cross country opening around the same late-July to early-August window. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends getting the physical at least 6 weeks before the first scheduled practice, so there’s time for any follow-up if the provider spots something. Coming in during late June or July means your athlete is cleared and ready on day one, with no scramble.
Since we’re open every day, including weekends, you can come in when it works for your family, not just on a weekday afternoon when practice and work collide.
What should you bring to your free sports physical?
Bring your school’s physical form or the official MHSAA pre-participation form, with the parent and athlete health-history section already filled out and signed. That history section has to be completed by a parent or guardian for athletes under 18, and it helps the provider catch anything important. It also speeds up your visit.
A short checklist for the visit:
- The completed school or MHSAA pre-participation form
- A list of any medications your child takes
- Glasses or contacts, if your athlete wears them
- Your insurance card, if you’d like the visit billed (the physical itself is free)
You can grab and print our new patient forms before you come in to save even more time.
A quick safety note
Most sports physicals end with a clean bill of health and a signed form. If a provider ever spots something that needs a closer look, like a heart murmur or an unexplained fainting spell, that follow-up is exactly why the physical exists. And during the season, if your athlete ever has chest pain, passes out, or has trouble breathing during activity, that’s an emergency. Call 911 right away.
Frequently asked questions
Is the sports physical really free at Total Health?
Yes. School and sports physicals are completely free for student athletes at Total Health Urgent Care. There’s no catch and no office-visit charge for the physical itself.
Do I need an appointment for a sports physical?
No. We’re a walk-in clinic, so you can come in any day from 7am to 7pm, including weekends. You can also request an appointment if you’d rather plan ahead.
Do you need a sports physical every year in Mississippi?
Yes. The MHSAA requires a passing medical exam each year before tryouts or practice. Confirm the exact date your form must be signed after with your school’s athletic office.
What’s the difference between a sports physical and a regular checkup?
A sports physical focuses on whether it’s safe to play and clears your athlete for their season. A regular well-child checkup is broader. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the sports physical as part of, not a replacement for, that yearly visit.
How long does a free sports physical take?
For a healthy athlete with the form filled out ahead of time, it’s usually quick. Walking in during a slower part of the day, like a weekday morning, can get you in and out faster.
Can a nurse practitioner sign my child’s MHSAA form?
Yes. The MHSAA handbook allows a nurse practitioner working in collaboration with a physician to perform and sign the exam. Our founder, Jennifer Duncan, APRN, MSN, FNP-C, can complete your athlete’s physical.
Ready when you are
Beat the August rush and get your athlete cleared for fall. Total Health Urgent Care is at 12000 Hwy 57, Vancleave, MS 39565, an easy drive from Ocean Springs, Gautier, and Pascagoula. Walk in any day from 7am to 7pm, or call us at (228) 283-5045 with questions. Have a great season!
Prepared by the Total Health Urgent Care team; founded by Jennifer Duncan, APRN, MSN, FNP-C. This is general health information, not medical advice. For a medical emergency, call 911.
