12/07/2025
TRANSITION FROM PHYSICAL THERAPY (INJURY)TO SPORTS
🏈⚾️🏀🏄🏃♂️🚴♀️🏊♂️
Returning to sports after an injury that required Physical Therapy or not requires a careful and structured approach to prevent setbacks and ensure a full recovery
1. Meet the Medical & PT Clearance Requirements
Before returning to sports, the patient should have:
• No major pain during daily activities
• Full or functional ROM for their sport
• Strength ≥ 90% of the uninvolved side (if applicable)
• Good balance and neuromuscular control
• Ability to perform functional tests without pain or compensation
Many athletes make the mistake of rushing back into play too soon. Returning before your body is ready increases the risk of setbacks, longer recovery times, or even new injuries.
During my lifetime I have had numerous injuries and surgeries and fully understand the process necessary to regain your functional level of activity and return to sports
In order for this to happen you must demonstrate appropriate strength, stability, mobility, and neuromuscular control to transition to sports performance/athletic training program.
Unfortunately, Traditional physical therapy clinics are limited to providing therapy for a specific injury – rarely do they create a progressive overall training regimen.
As an athlete, therapist and strength & conditioning specialist I can bridge the gap from physical therapy to conditioning .
The human body moves as one integrated unit, otherwise known as the kinetic chain, which is composed of the nervous, muscular, and skeletal system. Optimal alignment of the human body is the basis of all efficient movement. If one of these systems is out of alignment or not functioning optimally, it will lead to predictable patterns of dysfunction called postural distortion patterns.
After surgery and/or injury ,
Functional retraining is necessary to correct muscle imbalances which causes poor training techniques, lack of core strength /stability, and lack of neuromuscular control.
Functional movement is central to what it means to be healthy. Functional movement is the ability to produce and maintain a balance between mobility and stability along the kinetic chain while performing fundamental patterns with accuracy and efficiency. Mobility and Stability must coexist to create efficient movement in the body. Mobility describes freedom of movement. Stability is the ability to control force or movement. Stability is the precursor to strength. Muscular strength, flexibility, endurance, coordination, balance, and movement efficiency are components necessary to achieve functional movement.
Phase 1 — Foundational Sports Conditioning
• Light jogging
• Low-level plyometrics
• Controlled agility drills
• Core and hip/glute strength work
• Low-load return-to-running programs
After an injury, there are various factors to consider prior to an athlete returning to sport. It has been suggested that returning to sport should be viewed as a continuum, alongside recovery and rehabilitation. A gradual periodization to increasing workload, cardiovascular fitness, and sports-specific training should be implemented. An athlete's progression during this stage should be dictated by gaining the strength and control necessary to perform to
competition levels .
Phase 2 — Higher-Level Agility + Power
• Sprint intervals
• Plyometrics (box jumps, bounds)
• Lateral shuffles, carioca
• Jump landing mechanics
• Acceleration/deceleration training
Phase 3 — Sport-Specific Drills
• Position-specific skills
• Cutting at increasing speeds
• Reaction drills
• Contact preparation if applicable (football, soccer, hockey)
Returning to sport can be different for each individual athlete, depending on the sport and the level of participation the athlete aims to return to. It is suggested to be a continuum comprising of:
1. Return to participation - the athlete may be participating in rehabilitation or sport but at a level lower than the desired goal, but not yet "ready" medically, physically and/or psychologically.
2. Return to sport - the athlete has returned to sport, but not at his or her target level of performance.
3. Return to performance - the athlete has returned to his or her sport and is performing at or better than pre-injury level
The Role of the Athlete’s Mindset
Recovery isn’t just physical - it’s also mental. Athletes often struggle with confidence and fear of re-injury. I can help you by encouraging and enabling you to build trust in your body again through gradual exposure, education, and positive reinforcement.
BOTTOM LINE
Transitioning from PT to sports is safe and successful when you:
✔ Restore baseline movement
✔ Build sport-specific power and agility
✔ Progress training gradually
✔ Maintain strength and mobility
✔ Communicate between PT, ATC/coach, and the athlete
Please message me if you are having issues returning to your favorite activity or sport.
I will help you develop a functional rehabilitation program that is specific to your needs to help you get back
Thanks for reading
Robert Haviland CSC,CES,PES,CNC
MS Exercise Physiology with concentrations in Rehab Science,
Biomechanics and Sports Performance
