Sports injuries are inherent to any type of physical or sporting activity. An awkward movement, a fall or overtraining can lead to injuries that prevent you from playing sport or even training.
When this happens, sports rehabilitation or “return to play” is vital, as it helps you get back to competition and sports, as well as preventing future injuries.
If you're passionate about the world of sports, the Master in Sports Physiotherapy offered in Madrid and the Master in Sports Physiotherapy online by the Escuela Universitaria Real Madrid – Universidad Europea will equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in this dynamic and demanding field.
In this article, we will also explain what return to play consists of and what the phases of the sports rehabilitation process are. We will also discuss some of the latest technological innovations in injury prevention and treatment.
Rehabilitation for sports is a dynamic, interdisciplinary and individualised process that aims to help athletes recover so that they are in optimal condition for competition after suffering a sports injury.
Return to play, as the process of returning to training or competition after an injury is also known, involves constant decision-making involving different professionals, from doctors and sports physiotherapists to coaches, physical trainers, sports psychologists and, of course, the athlete themselves.
Ideally, the decision to return to play should be made by consensus among all those responsible for the athlete's sporting career, but if there are disagreements, the medical team has the final say.
Below are some reasons why it is important to undergo proper sports rehabilitation.
Planning a return to play does not focus solely on getting the athlete back into shape so they can compete again or predicting the exact moment of their return. It also emphasises preventing relapses and new injuries, which involves creating a prevention plan to avoid risk factors.
To this end, sports rehabilitation starts with a diagnosis that considers the clinical and biomechanical characteristics of the injury and associated risk factors, such as age, gender, and race. For example, the measures used to determine whether an athlete is ready to train after an injury should be more conservative for young athletes than for adults.
Likewise, psychosocial factors play an important role in the return to play, as the athlete must feel safe and confident to compete again. Physical recovery is not enough; they must have the right mindset to resume their activity at full capacity.
The sports rehabilitation process goes through a series of phases, from regaining mobility in the injured area, thus beginning to introduce normal physical activity, to returning to sport, first with low loads and finally with high loads.
When the athlete no longer has pain in the injured area, regains a certain range of motion with virtually no discomfort and has the necessary flexibility, the sports rehabilitation specialist can begin to introduce low-impact sports. Training can begin at 50% of the athlete's maximum capacity and the intensity can be increased by 10-15% each week, provided that this increase does not cause pain or discomfort in the injured area during training or the following day.
In fact, the sports rehabilitation specialist must develop a flexible plan for returning to play, as athletes' progress is not usually linear. Throughout the sports rehabilitation process, complications may arise that prevent a change of phase or require changes in the therapeutic approach.
It is therefore essential that prognosis models take into account the functional development that the athlete will show in relation to the physical activity they will be doing. In the final phase preceding the return to competition, functional rehabilitation is achieved when the athlete can successfully and effectively perform the different actions of their sport.
The use of technology in sport has significantly changed the vision of return to play, redefining how injury prevention and treatment are managed and helping athletes recover faster and return to competition with greater confidence.
Below, we detail some of these technological trends:
Devices such as motion sensors and electromyography (EMG) allow athletes to receive real-time information about their biomechanical performance. This helps them to correct incorrect movements and address potential problems before they become critical.
These high-energy acoustic waves stimulate cell regeneration and improve blood flow. It is particularly effective in treating musculoskeletal injuries such as tendinitis and sprains. It offers athletes a non-invasive option.
Robotic exoskeletons and assistive devices provide support and enable controlled, repetitive movements to speed up recovery. This technology helps improve muscle strength and endurance.
These programmes allow athletes to perform specific exercises in a virtual environment. This makes rehabilitation more appealing and, as a result, improves motivation and adherence to treatment.
These treatments have gained popularity because they are non-invasive and have anti-inflammatory and cell-stimulating properties. This type of therapy is therefore ideal for injuries such as sprains and muscle strains.
Advanced algorithms analyse large data sets to help identify patterns and correlations that could indicate an increased risk of injury. This makes it easier for coaches and doctors to implement preventive measures before injuries occur.
Sports rehabilitation is a crucial pillar in the world of athletic performance, helping athletes not only recover from injuries but return stronger, more confident, and with a lower risk of relapse. Through structured phases, interdisciplinary collaboration, and cutting-edge technologies, the “return to play” process has become more efficient and personalized than ever.
If you're driven by a passion for sports and want to be at the forefront of injury prevention, treatment, and athletic recovery, consider exploring the range of sports masters degrees on offer at Escuela Universitaria Real Madrid – Universidad Europea.