The Student​ Physical Therapist
  • Home
  • About Us
  • TSPT Academy
  • Resources
    • Newsletter
    • Orthopedic Blog
    • Featured Articles
    • Research Articles
    • Residency Corner
  • Special Tests
    • Cervical Spine >
      • Alar Ligament Test
      • Bakody's Sign
      • Cervical Distraction Test
      • Cervical Rotation Lateral Flexion Test
      • Craniocervical Flexion Test (CCFT)
      • Deep Neck Flexor Endurance Test
      • Posterior-Anterior Segmental Mobility
      • Segmental Mobility
      • Sharp-Purser Test
      • Spurling's Maneuver
      • Transverse Ligament Test
      • ULNT - Median
      • ULNT - Radial
      • ULNT - Ulnar
      • Vertebral Artery Test
    • Thoracic Spine >
      • Adam's Forward Bend Test
      • Passive Neck Flexion Test
      • Thoracic Compression Test
      • Thoracic Distraction Test
      • Thoracic Foraminal Closure Test
    • Lumbar Spine/Sacroiliac Joint >
      • Active Sit-Up Test
      • Alternate Gillet Test
      • Crossed Straight Leg Raise Test
      • Extensor Endurance Test
      • FABER Test
      • Fortin's Sign
      • Gaenslen Test
      • Gillet Test
      • Gower's Sign
      • Lumbar Quadrant Test
      • POSH Test
      • Posteroanterior Mobility
      • Prone Knee Bend Test
      • Prone Instability Test
      • Resisted Abduction Test
      • Sacral Clearing Test
      • Seated Forward Flexion Test
      • SIJ Compression/Distraction Test
      • Slump Test
      • Sphinx Test
      • Spine Rotators & Multifidus Test
      • Squish Test
      • Standing Forward Flexion Test
      • Straight Leg Raise Test
      • Supine to Long Sit Test
    • Shoulder >
      • Active Compression Test
      • Anterior Apprehension
      • Biceps Load Test II
      • Drop Arm Sign
      • External Rotation Lag Sign
      • Hawkins-Kennedy Impingement Sign
      • Horizontal Adduction Test
      • Internal Rotation Lag Sign
      • Jobe Test
      • Ludington's Test
      • Neer Test
      • Painful Arc Sign
      • Pronated Load Test
      • Resisted Supination External Rotation Test
      • Speed's Test
      • Posterior Apprehension
      • Sulcus Sign
      • Thoracic Outlet Tests >
        • Adson's Test
        • Costoclavicular Brace
        • Hyperabduction Test
        • Roos (EAST)
      • Yergason's Test
    • Elbow >
      • Biceps Squeeze Test
      • Chair Sign
      • Cozen's Test
      • Elbow Extension Test
      • Medial Epicondylalgia Test
      • Mill's Test
      • Moving Valgus Stress Test
      • Push-up Sign
      • Ulnar Nerve Compression Test
      • Valgus Stress Test
      • Varus Stress Test
    • Wrist/Hand >
      • Allen's Test
      • Carpal Compression Test
      • Finkelstein Test
      • Phalen's Test
      • Reverse Phalen's Test
    • Hip >
      • Craig's Test
      • Dial Test
      • FABER Test
      • FAIR Test
      • Fitzgerald's Test
      • Hip Quadrant Test
      • Hop Test
      • Labral Anterior Impingement Test
      • Labral Posterior Impingement Test
      • Long-Axis Femoral Distraction Test
      • Noble Compression Test
      • Percussion Test
      • Sign of the Buttock
      • Trendelenburg Test
    • Knee >
      • Anterior Drawer Test
      • Dial Test (Tibial Rotation Test)
      • Joint Line Tenderness
      • Lachman Test
      • McMurray Test
      • Noble Compression Test
      • Pivot-Shift Test
      • Posterior Drawer Test
      • Posterior Sag Sign
      • Quad Active Test
      • Thessaly Test
      • Valgus Stress Test
      • Varus Stress Test
    • Foot/Ankle >
      • Anterior Drawer
      • Calf Squeeze Test
      • External Rotation Test
      • Fracture Screening Tests
      • Impingement Sign
      • Navicular Drop Test
      • Squeeze Test
      • Talar Tilt
      • Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome Test
      • Test for Interdigital Neuroma
      • Windlass Test
Picture

Everything you want to know about preparing your athletes for return to sport from a sports clinical specialist (part 1 of 2)

9/15/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Each year numerous athletes get “re-injured”.  What are you doing for your return to sport process?!
 
Return to sport testing is always an interesting topic discussed within sports medicine.  It is an ever-growing subsection of sports physical therapy.  While we wait for research to catch up to validate and create reliable tests, what else can we do to put our athletic patients into the best possible situation for a healthy return? 
 
The most important thing with the return to sport process is understanding what components are necessary to consider.  For many physical therapists this means ROM, pain, strength, and a few validated tests in the research (think hop tests).  Yet this is not nearly enough to consider.  In fact, it’s not even close.  Let me explain some of the things I look at when treating athletes.
 
Basic Measurements:
  • “Normal” ROM of both affected joints and influencing joints
    • Ex: Post op ACL knee extension should be relative to contralateral side
    • Ex: “Normal” is different considering athletes sport and position.  A baseball pitcher will always have more ER than IR and differences side to side.  Look at total ROM side to side in these athletes. 
  • Adequate strength levels (what is considered adequate?)
    • Do you use MMT’s?
    • Do you use a hand held dynamometer? (Possibly more objective)
    • What position are you testing them in?
  • No swelling
  • Appropriate healing time
    • Remember your tissue healing guidelines
    • Be aware of ACL reconstruction healing timeframes
    • Always consider any additional con-current injuries (meniscus, cartilage, etc)
  • No pain (Visual Analog Scale?)
  • No feeling of instability
  • MD clearance (Important!)
 
Task Analysis & Sport Biomechanics:
  • Have you trained your athlete for the correct energy system demands of their respective sport?
  • Technical Assessment (not our realm/field)
    • Ex: Baseball pitching “style”.  Be aware and observant but respect the pitching coaches. They are pitching coaches and you are the physical therapist.  Work together, stay in your lane. 
  • Injury “prevention”
    • Home Program
    • Dynamic warmups pre competition or practice
  • Sport Biomechanical Considerations
 
Psychological

  • What is the athlete’s mental state?  What other personal factors (life, family, etc) may be playing a role?
    • May use an outcome measure
 
Fatigue

  • One thing that is constant in return to sport is that fatigue can play a role in potential altered mechanics.   While it is tough to measure fatigue here are two ways I try to measure fatigue.
    • Lower Extremity:
      • Single Leg Squats for 1 minute (observe mechanics)
      • Single Leg Squats for 1 minute with perturbation (observe mechanics & control)

Part 2 will cover specifics on loaded vs unloaded movements, sports specific tests, and return to sport tests! Stay Tuned!

Dr. Brian Schwabe, PT, DPT, SCS, COMT, CSCS
Board Certified Sports Physical Therapist
​IG: @brianschwabedpt 

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture


    Archives

    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012

    Categories

    All
    Chest
    Core Muscle
    Elbow
    Foot
    Foot And Ankle
    Hip
    Knee
    Manual Therapy
    Modalities
    Motivation
    Neck
    Neural Tension
    Other
    Research
    Research Article
    Shoulder
    Sij
    Spine
    Sports
    Therapeutic Exercise


    RSS Feed

Home

Contact Us

Copyright © The Student Physical Therapist LLC 2023
Photos from dsearls, moo.review, liverpoolhls, matturick, lwpkommunikacio, Lake Clark NPS, Tobyotter, Charly Meunier, Vincent Albanese, CNBP, Zepfanman.com, aotaro, sportEX journals, jillccarlson, Yann07, US Department of Education, osseous, TheeErin, ajy591, Mark P / PIX41, Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, UofT, teresatrimm, donnierayjones, NNelumba, Tobyotter, Frédéric de Villamil, Jordanhill School D&T Dept, danabooo, cadillacjr2002, ingridkreuz, RDECOM, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet, Wonderlane, hectorir, Jeffrey, Chris Hunkeler, quillons, COD Newsroom, Alan Cleaver, CCFoodTravel.com, liverpoolhls, Dr.Farouk, Jeffrey, Sten Dueland, Håkan Dahlström, PPGWings, Parker Michael Knight, MLazarevski, dno1967b, Fimb, Jim Larrison, infomatique, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet, Idhren, iwona_kellie, AnEternalGoldenBraid, quinn.anya, jlk.1, Villainette, mlsaero, roelandpype, Defence Images, CiscoANZ, istolethetv, Our Dream Photography (Personal), BraNewbs, Meg Stewart, phalinn, akeg, hectorir, philcampbell, MilitaryHealth, akeg, Army Medicine, Shar Ka, Subconsci Productions, Eric Kilby, Anonymous9000, quinn.anya, COD Newsroom, UMN Department of Plant Pathology, familymwr, all of olive., Keith Allison, JD Hancock, Synergy by Jasmine, roger_mommaerts, John-Morgan, a.drian, Instant Vantage, Beshef, markhillary, Vegar S Hansen Photography, DEC International, kaolin fire, smith_cl9, cinnamon_girl, jillccarlson, Extra Ketchup, brain_blogger, heyjoewhereyougoinwiththatguninyourhand, tv42, COMSALUD, Nicholas_T, Ano Lobb. @healthyrx, kaibara87, mlinksva, smbuckley23, sappsnap, Menage a Moi, brain_blogger, MaloMalverde, One Way Stock, ethet., ~ggvic~, MAClarke21, Keith Allison, pictures of money, mendolus shank, HotlantaVoyeur, Mr. T in DC, abbamouse, HystericalMark, Travis Hornung, jenny downing, shock264, Peter Mooney, Futurilla, sfslim, Emily Carlin, PFX Photo, ITU Pictures, TP studio, akunamatata, Magdalena Roeseler, osseous, smith_cl9, warrenski, Sh4rp_i, mrbichel, Renaud Camus, sicamp, GreenFlames09, infomatique, mark i geo, Volker Davids, TerryJohnston, Daniela Vladimirova, CJS*64, VarsityLife, Quentin Verwaerde, Annie Mole, US Army Africa, RLHyde, openBIT e. V., Vox Efx, fabola, Gerry Dincher, mlsaero, Infomastern, N4n0, Wonderlane, TheeErin, Nanagyei, gogogadgetscott, Pulmonary Pathology, PELeCON, Elvert Barnes, @RunRockPrincess, woodleywonderworks, Asbestos Bill, Joelk75, otisarchives4, jillccarlson, sportEX journals, The Wandering Angel, perpetualplum, V31S70, colecamp, jpalinsad360, JulyYu, Andres Rueda, Whenleavesfall, melloveschallah, Pink Sherbet Photography, canonim, BrianHenry ////|//, Leonard John Matthews, mikecogh, Zepfanman.com, Kevin M. Gill, Claire L. Evans, afunkydamsel, The Official CTBTO Photostream, cyOFdevelin fame, dok1, Pam loves pie, hoshi7, opensourceway, hatcher10027, Andy G, sandiegopersonalinjuryattorney, rubyswoon, OIST (Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology), Jiv.Talking, ljgoyke, www.ilkkajukarainen.fi, giulia.forsythe, Carine06, RRaiderstyle, Keith Allison, Andrew Campbell Photography, shinya, ljgoyke, marcoverch, Peder Sterll, sportEX journals
  • Home
  • About Us
  • TSPT Academy
  • Resources
    • Newsletter
    • Orthopedic Blog
    • Featured Articles
    • Research Articles
    • Residency Corner
  • Special Tests
    • Cervical Spine >
      • Alar Ligament Test
      • Bakody's Sign
      • Cervical Distraction Test
      • Cervical Rotation Lateral Flexion Test
      • Craniocervical Flexion Test (CCFT)
      • Deep Neck Flexor Endurance Test
      • Posterior-Anterior Segmental Mobility
      • Segmental Mobility
      • Sharp-Purser Test
      • Spurling's Maneuver
      • Transverse Ligament Test
      • ULNT - Median
      • ULNT - Radial
      • ULNT - Ulnar
      • Vertebral Artery Test
    • Thoracic Spine >
      • Adam's Forward Bend Test
      • Passive Neck Flexion Test
      • Thoracic Compression Test
      • Thoracic Distraction Test
      • Thoracic Foraminal Closure Test
    • Lumbar Spine/Sacroiliac Joint >
      • Active Sit-Up Test
      • Alternate Gillet Test
      • Crossed Straight Leg Raise Test
      • Extensor Endurance Test
      • FABER Test
      • Fortin's Sign
      • Gaenslen Test
      • Gillet Test
      • Gower's Sign
      • Lumbar Quadrant Test
      • POSH Test
      • Posteroanterior Mobility
      • Prone Knee Bend Test
      • Prone Instability Test
      • Resisted Abduction Test
      • Sacral Clearing Test
      • Seated Forward Flexion Test
      • SIJ Compression/Distraction Test
      • Slump Test
      • Sphinx Test
      • Spine Rotators & Multifidus Test
      • Squish Test
      • Standing Forward Flexion Test
      • Straight Leg Raise Test
      • Supine to Long Sit Test
    • Shoulder >
      • Active Compression Test
      • Anterior Apprehension
      • Biceps Load Test II
      • Drop Arm Sign
      • External Rotation Lag Sign
      • Hawkins-Kennedy Impingement Sign
      • Horizontal Adduction Test
      • Internal Rotation Lag Sign
      • Jobe Test
      • Ludington's Test
      • Neer Test
      • Painful Arc Sign
      • Pronated Load Test
      • Resisted Supination External Rotation Test
      • Speed's Test
      • Posterior Apprehension
      • Sulcus Sign
      • Thoracic Outlet Tests >
        • Adson's Test
        • Costoclavicular Brace
        • Hyperabduction Test
        • Roos (EAST)
      • Yergason's Test
    • Elbow >
      • Biceps Squeeze Test
      • Chair Sign
      • Cozen's Test
      • Elbow Extension Test
      • Medial Epicondylalgia Test
      • Mill's Test
      • Moving Valgus Stress Test
      • Push-up Sign
      • Ulnar Nerve Compression Test
      • Valgus Stress Test
      • Varus Stress Test
    • Wrist/Hand >
      • Allen's Test
      • Carpal Compression Test
      • Finkelstein Test
      • Phalen's Test
      • Reverse Phalen's Test
    • Hip >
      • Craig's Test
      • Dial Test
      • FABER Test
      • FAIR Test
      • Fitzgerald's Test
      • Hip Quadrant Test
      • Hop Test
      • Labral Anterior Impingement Test
      • Labral Posterior Impingement Test
      • Long-Axis Femoral Distraction Test
      • Noble Compression Test
      • Percussion Test
      • Sign of the Buttock
      • Trendelenburg Test
    • Knee >
      • Anterior Drawer Test
      • Dial Test (Tibial Rotation Test)
      • Joint Line Tenderness
      • Lachman Test
      • McMurray Test
      • Noble Compression Test
      • Pivot-Shift Test
      • Posterior Drawer Test
      • Posterior Sag Sign
      • Quad Active Test
      • Thessaly Test
      • Valgus Stress Test
      • Varus Stress Test
    • Foot/Ankle >
      • Anterior Drawer
      • Calf Squeeze Test
      • External Rotation Test
      • Fracture Screening Tests
      • Impingement Sign
      • Navicular Drop Test
      • Squeeze Test
      • Talar Tilt
      • Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome Test
      • Test for Interdigital Neuroma
      • Windlass Test