Discharge and Return to Sport Part 1: Know When They Are Ready
Presented by Phil Plisky
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When can I fully return to my activity? It’s a simple question with a complex answer. Could you imagine knowing how to make the return-to-activity decision confidently and concretely so the patient, parent, and physician all agree? There are so many opinions, emotions, and variables that go into return to sport and discharge that the experience seems anything but certain. Yet, it does not have to be so confusing. There is a process. There is objective data we can look at to remove the confusion, the uncertainty, and the indecision. Evidenced-based tests exist to identify these risk factors and improve your confidence when making return-to-sport and discharge decisions. This course seeks to systemize these decisions by using the latest research and the results of a 10-year, multimillion-dollar research process in injury prediction and return to activity. You can dramatically impact your patients' health and reduce reinjury rates by making evidence-based discharge and return-to-sport decisions. There is no guesswork; there is a data-driven decision. This course will lay the foundation to help you develop a scientific decision-making process, select evidence-based tests, and apply them to patient care. This course is for physical therapists, athletic trainers, and occupational therapists.
Meet your instructor
Phil Plisky
Dr. Phil Plisky is a professor in the University of Evansville’s Doctor of Physical Therapy and PhD in Health Professions Education programs. He is the host of the MedBridge Rehab and Performance Lab podcast and founder of the Coaches Club at
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Discharge and Return-to-Sport Testing Introduction
Return-to-sport and discharge decisions can have a lasting impact on our patients’ lives. This chapter discusses the research regarding previous injury and the motor control changes that occur after injury.
2. Identifying Injury Risk Factors
Not only should return-to-sport and discharge decisions determine if a person is ready to return to the desired activity, but they also need to screen for risk factors of future injury. This chapter examines the research regarding injury risk factors.
3. Test Selection
Selecting which tests to perform needs to go beyond range of motion and strength and sport-specific tests. By understanding the research regarding regional interdependence and using the neurodevelopmental perspective, you can create a comprehensive testing plan that ensures your patient is ready to return to activity and does not have risk factors for future injury.
4. Testing Movement
While most rehabilitation professionals understand the importance of movement in overall function and activity, it is essential that reliable and valid measures of movement be used in the decision to return a patient to sport and activity. This chapter focuses on the research of clinical movement assessment and screening to examine fundamental movement patterns through more complex functional movement.
5. Clinical Application of Return-to-Activity Testing
Regardless of a patient’s activity level, it is important to test dynamic balance as well as core function. This chapter explores the research regarding dynamic balance and tests.
More courses in this series
Sports Performance and Injury Prevention
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Discharge and Return to Sport Part 1: Know When They Are Ready
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Discharge and Return to Sport Part 2: Lower Body
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Discharge and Return to Sport Part 3: Upper Body
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Discharge and Return to Sport: Case Studies
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