Have I given the tissue time to heal?
The amount of time will depend on a few factors such as the type of tissue, your age and your fitness level. This can range from a few weeks to months. A muscle tear in a fit 10 year old will heal a lot faster than a stress fracture in an 80 year old.
Have I strengthened the involved and surrounding muscles? Muscle atrophy is increased exponentially when there is local inflammation, so you need to strengthen surrounding (or involved) muscle.
Have I retrained proprioception? Proprioception or knowing where your body is in space is key to reducing the chance of reinjury as well as maximizing performance.
Do I have enough range of motion to return to the sport? This includes not only the range required in optimal conditions, but any range that might be required in sub optimal (accident or collision) situations. You propbably won't need full knee flexion to return to golf, but if you want to return to skiing you will want full flexion if you happen to fall on that knee.
Have I corrected any contributing muscle imbalances? Overuse injuries are often caused in part by muscle imbalances and in some cases can perpetuate them. Therefore you want to address them before restarting activity to avoid the injury returning as well as to optimize any continued healing that needs to occur.
Have I done any mock activities to prepare myself? This could include physiotherapy exercises as well as low intensity (leading to higher intensity) practices or drills before actual games.Am I fit enough? Many injuries occur at the end of a practice or run, so make sure you have the stamina to stay on top of your game all the way through.
If you are still unsure if you are ready to return to sport your health care professional can help you decide whether these factors have all been addressed adequately.
Photos courtesy of Google Images.
