The Need To Change Return to Play Testing in Athletes Following ACL Injury: A Theoretical Model
The incidence of knee injuries in sport, particularly involving the ACL, appears to be increasing yearly, especially in younger age athletes. Even more concerning is the frequency of ACL reinjury also appears to be increasing year after year. Improving the objective criteria and testing methods used...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
North American Sports Medicine Institute
2023-02-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.67988 |
| _version_ | 1797341644784140288 |
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| author | Kevin Wilk Zachary M Thomas Christopher A Arrigo George J Davies |
| author_facet | Kevin Wilk Zachary M Thomas Christopher A Arrigo George J Davies |
| author_sort | Kevin Wilk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The incidence of knee injuries in sport, particularly involving the ACL, appears to be increasing yearly, especially in younger age athletes. Even more concerning is the frequency of ACL reinjury also appears to be increasing year after year. Improving the objective criteria and testing methods used to determine return to play (RTP) readiness following ACL surgery is one aspect of the rehabilitation process that can significantly help in reducing reinjury rates. Currently, the majority of clinicians are still using post operative time frames as their number one criterion for clearance to RTP. This flawed method demonstrates an inadequate reflection of the true unpredictable, dynamic environment athletes are returning to participate in. In our clinical experience, objective testing to allow for clearance to sport participation following an ACL injury should incorporate neurocognitive and reactive testing due to the nature of the injury typically occurs because of failed control of unanticipated reactive movements. The purpose of this manuscript is to share a neurocognitive testing sequence we currently employ consisting of 8 tests in 3 categories: Blazepod tests, reactive shuttle run tests, and reactive hop tests. The use of a more dynamic reactive testing battery may decrease the reinjury rates when an athlete is cleared for participation by measuring readiness in chaotic circumstances that are more truly reflective of the sporting environment the athlete is working to return to and in the process give them a greater sense of confidence. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:21:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c7e6c4d2a1be4b85b3e7a474a4c7aabe |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2159-2896 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:21:01Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | North American Sports Medicine Institute |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy |
| spelling | doaj.art-c7e6c4d2a1be4b85b3e7a474a4c7aabe2024-01-27T23:31:19ZengNorth American Sports Medicine InstituteInternational Journal of Sports Physical Therapy2159-28962023-02-01181The Need To Change Return to Play Testing in Athletes Following ACL Injury: A Theoretical ModelKevin WilkZachary M ThomasChristopher A ArrigoGeorge J DaviesThe incidence of knee injuries in sport, particularly involving the ACL, appears to be increasing yearly, especially in younger age athletes. Even more concerning is the frequency of ACL reinjury also appears to be increasing year after year. Improving the objective criteria and testing methods used to determine return to play (RTP) readiness following ACL surgery is one aspect of the rehabilitation process that can significantly help in reducing reinjury rates. Currently, the majority of clinicians are still using post operative time frames as their number one criterion for clearance to RTP. This flawed method demonstrates an inadequate reflection of the true unpredictable, dynamic environment athletes are returning to participate in. In our clinical experience, objective testing to allow for clearance to sport participation following an ACL injury should incorporate neurocognitive and reactive testing due to the nature of the injury typically occurs because of failed control of unanticipated reactive movements. The purpose of this manuscript is to share a neurocognitive testing sequence we currently employ consisting of 8 tests in 3 categories: Blazepod tests, reactive shuttle run tests, and reactive hop tests. The use of a more dynamic reactive testing battery may decrease the reinjury rates when an athlete is cleared for participation by measuring readiness in chaotic circumstances that are more truly reflective of the sporting environment the athlete is working to return to and in the process give them a greater sense of confidence.https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.67988 |
| spellingShingle | Kevin Wilk Zachary M Thomas Christopher A Arrigo George J Davies The Need To Change Return to Play Testing in Athletes Following ACL Injury: A Theoretical Model International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy |
| title | The Need To Change Return to Play Testing in Athletes Following ACL Injury: A Theoretical Model |
| title_full | The Need To Change Return to Play Testing in Athletes Following ACL Injury: A Theoretical Model |
| title_fullStr | The Need To Change Return to Play Testing in Athletes Following ACL Injury: A Theoretical Model |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Need To Change Return to Play Testing in Athletes Following ACL Injury: A Theoretical Model |
| title_short | The Need To Change Return to Play Testing in Athletes Following ACL Injury: A Theoretical Model |
| title_sort | need to change return to play testing in athletes following acl injury a theoretical model |
| url | https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.67988 |
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