Periodic health examination (PHE) is commonly used in professional football and other elite sports to provide baseline physical measurements for rehabilitation or performance purposes and to assist in selection of injury prevention practices.

PHE is often used to identify possible contributing causal factors for injury. However, due to issues with analysis and confounding, this is unachievable.

Using PHE for injury risk prediction is theoretically achievable, but we suggest that using the related concept of prognosis is arguably more appropriate for professional athletes.