Healthy Athletes

Special Olympics Healthy Athletes® offers free health screenings and education to Special Olympics athletes in a welcoming, fun environment.

Despite a mistaken belief that people with intellectual disabilities receive the same or better health care than others, they typically receive sub-standard care or virtually no health care at all. For every ten athletes on a Special Olympics team:

• 2 have never had an eye exam
• 4 need a new prescription for glasses
• 2 have potential hearing loss
• 4 have untreated tooth decay and 1–2 are in need of urgent dental care
• 2–3 have low bone density
• 6 are overweight and/or at risk for chronic health conditions
• 5 have problems with strength and 6 have problems with flexibility, placing them at risk for injury
• 5 have at least one kind of skin or nail condition

Join the more than 90,000 health care providers and students worldwide who have volunteered with the Healthy Athletes program.