For injured athletes, recovery can feel overwhelming, especially when loss of movement and training is involved. Our current healthcare model often frames recovery as something that fits neatly into set timelines and a specific number of visits. Therefore, we have often been conditioned to believe that “return to sport/training” is one, smooth process. After completing treatment you’re good as new and back doing what you love. Easy, right?
Intuitively, I think many of us know that’s not the case. Whether that’s based on our own injury experiences, education, etc. What if, instead, recovery were approached as clearly defined phases with measurable outcomes? This perspective shifts recovery from a fixed endpoint to a continuum that spans from injury to performance. By doing so, we’re able to bridge the gap from tissue healing and basic function to performance driven rehab and return to sport training.
Throughout the rehab process, each provider has an important role in recovery. However, when nuances or setbacks occur, things start to get unclear. You’ve been discharged from physical therapy, but you still have pain during your training. You feel hesitant. Maybe you’re still weaker than before the injury. What now? Do more rehab? Go back to the physician? Push through it? This is where the strength and rehab continuum becomes very important. Providers who understand how to layer phases of rehab, progressively build capacity beyond baseline function, and prepare the body for increasing training demands are crucial.
Several research studies have highlighted the significance of not only reaching clinically significant milestones throughout rehab phases, but having monitored programming, workload, and recovery while rebuilding physical and technical preparation for sport. At this point, an injury and tissues may be healed, but the body still needs correct exposure and dosing. This is where having a strength-informed physical therapist and/or a knowledgeable strength coach is essential. Injury is not binary. You’re not training or resting. You can be actively healing and training with load. You can also be cleared and recovered, while still experiencing pain and sensitivity.
If you’re an athlete who has been medically cleared to resume training only to still feel pain or “off,” I understand your frustrations, and maybe even your shame. I know I felt that many times. It took years for me to understand that a successful return to training post-injury can be difficult without a clear and informed plan that doesn’t shy away from setbacks or challenges. Finding clinicians and coaches who understand these nuances, who communicate, collaborate, and truly listen can make all the difference. When providers work as a team and view recovery as a continuum from rehab to performance, athletes are better supported in navigating the path back to sport with confidence and resilience. If you are an athlete who is looking for support and guidance in the rehab to performance process, schedule a consultation call with us today to see how we can best support you and your goals.
