When Can I Return to Sport After Injury?

As physios, this is our most frequently asked question. And the truth is the answer completely depends on the extent of your injury, type of sport you wish to return to and of course how much work you put into your rehab!

While a minor grade 1 sprain could take you away from sport for only a matter of minutes, more severe grade 2 or 3 sprains and strains could need a full year of rehab and sometimes a surgical intervention to see you back on the field.
The reason for the long recovery is that re-injury rates are common with sports injuries and the damaged tissues need significant strengthening to withstand being put back into high loading or stress environments.

For example, an ACL reconstruction takes a minimum of 9.5-12 months before an athlete is allowed return to sport, with every month they go back before this increasing the re-injury rate significantly. Did you know that roughly 25% of athletes with an ACL reconstruction have to undergo a second reconstruction within 6 years due to re-injury?

We don't take the decision to allow our patients to return to sport lightly. We make sure to implement effective strengthening, speed, balance, agility and sport-specific rehab drills to encourage the best recovery possible. 
We also do detailed Return-To-Sport physical testing before we make the decision to allow anyone back on the field.

We know that having to take a break from sport is a huge upset for many athletes and we want to minimise those timeframes while ensuring you receive the best care.

If you're struggling with an injury, wanting to avoid re-injury or looking to get back to exercise after some time off get in touch with our team to create an effective program to help you keep fit and healthy.