Young sports players and residents in Portsmouth, Hampshire, will be able to access free heart screenings on February 21 and 22, 2026, intended to help identify previously undiagnosed cardiac conditions that can be dangerous during high‑energy sport. The sessions aim to give families reassurance about children’s cardiac safety while they stay active in the community.
The Hampshire Rugby Football Union has partnered with the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) to offer the tests to people aged 14 to 35. This age group is targeted because many inherited or structural heart conditions commonly begin to appear during the teenage years and early adulthood.
Each screening includes a short medical‑history questionnaire and a 12‑lead electrocardiogram (ECG) — a recording of the heart’s electrical activity that typically takes about 5–10 minutes. If the clinical team considers it necessary, a same‑day echocardiogram (ultrasound) may also be offered on site. Results are reviewed immediately by a doctor, who will advise participants on next steps; that advice may include clearance to continue playing, further testing, or temporary restriction until investigations are complete.
According to CRY, every week in the UK at least 12 apparently fit and healthy young people aged 35 and under die suddenly from previously undiagnosed cardiac conditions. CRY has run nationwide screening programmes for many years and, to date, has screened well over 300,000 young people across the country, identifying individuals with life‑threatening conditions and those needing monitoring.
Local residents and players should check CRY’s screening portal (testmyheart.org.uk) for booking information, timings and the confirmed venue.
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