What Is Return To Sport?
- Return to sport (RTS) refers to a structured, criteria-based progression that enables a child or adolescent to safely resume athletic activity after injury or surgery.
- Involves restoration of pre-injury function, including strength, range of motion (ROM), neuromuscular control, and sport-specific skills.
- Incorporates injury prevention strategies to reduce reinjury risk and support long-term athletic participation.
- Requires interdisciplinary collaboration among physical therapists, physicians, coaches, and families.
What Does Difficulty In This Area Look Like?
- Incomplete Rehabilitation
Persistent deficits in strength, flexibility, or balance that limit readiness for sport-specific demands. - Altered Movement Patterns
Compensatory biomechanics during running, jumping, cutting, or pivoting (e.g., favoring one limb, decreased joint loading symmetry). - Poor Neuromuscular Control
Inadequate proprioceptive input or delayed reaction times, increasing injury risk during dynamic movements. - Psychological Barriers
Fear of reinjury (kinesiophobia), decreased confidence, or performance anxiety affecting return to full participation. - Delayed Cardiovascular Conditioning
Reduced endurance due to time away from sport or physical activity.
How Can PT Help Build These Skills?
- Functional Strengthening & Plyometrics
Tailored strengthening of key muscle groups (e.g., quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes) and progression to explosive movements like jumping and bounding. - Biomechanical Analysis & Correction
Video or observational gait/run/jump analysis to identify and correct abnormal loading or movement patterns. - Proprioception & Agility Drills
Exercises to improve joint position sense, dynamic balance, and rapid direction changes under sport-like conditions. - Sport-Specific Training
Gradual reintroduction of sport tasks (e.g., dribbling, sprinting, pivoting) under controlled conditions to replicate game scenarios. - Endurance & Conditioning
Interval training or circuit work to rebuild cardiovascular fitness safely and efficiently. - Injury Risk Reduction Programs
Implementation of evidence-based protocols (e.g., FIFA 11+, PEP program) to prevent recurrent musculoskeletal injuries. - Return-to-Play Testing
Use of objective outcome measures (e.g., single-leg hop tests, Y-Balance Test, isokinetic strength testing) to determine readiness.