sports medicine cq4; return to play (physical tests) Flashcards
What are the physical tests in the process and procedures for return to play?
- Indicators of readiness (pain free, degree of mobility)
- Monitoring progress (pre test and post test)
- Psychological readiness
- Specific warm ups
What are the indicators of readiness tests?
A serious of rigorous tests conducted in order to indicate an athlete’s readiness to play
- These tests should not only indicate pain free completion of activities but also with similar mobility in the injured site in comparison to test results prior to the injury.
What are the indicators of readiness?
- Flexibility
- Balance
- Muscle strength
- Proprioception
- Specific endurance required for the sport (soccer vs golf)
What is an example for the indicators of readiness procedure?
A basketball player will have to be able to complete the basic drills in training such as 50m agility runs, vertical jumps and dribbling through cones, whilst being able to pass and shoot during training. Pain free and at a similar level to previously.
What is monitoring progress in the process and procedures for return to play?
Results from a PRE-TEST before the injury must be compared to a POST-TEST taken after the injury had occured ➡️ this highlights whether the athlete has lost fitness components such as speed and agility.
- These tests need to incorporate sport specific movement patterns.
What is an effective example for monitoring progress for a knee ligament injury?
An agility test such as the Illinois test would be appropriate whilst a grip test would not be appropriate.
Why is psychological readiness essential to determine whether an athlete can return to play?
Injuries can place a lot of fear and negative stress on an athlete, impacting performance and wellbeing ➡️ athletes may either be over confident or under confident making them tentative in their movements.
Case study for psychological readiness?
Study conducted by Alyssa Monahan at the Georgia Southern University found that not all athletes returning to play are over confident, and the athletes who are not highly confident have higher self-reported fear avoidance.
- This study concluded that the implementation of psychological readiness and fear avoidance questionnaires are beneficial to ensure athletes have optimal confidence and are not fearful in returning to play.
Why are specific warm ups essential for return to play?
To ensure a previously injured body part is prepared for the demands of full competition, specific exercises and movements can be added into the players regular warm up.
What are examples of specific warm ups for return to play?
- The specific warm upon for a shoulder dislocation of a rugby league player may involve mobility drills using rods that gradually allow for a full range of motion on rotation.
- For a hamstring injury, add extra hamstring stretches such as gradual PNF stretches and also using a foam roller to help remove tension or any scar tissue that may remain.
