Foundations of Return to Sport: The Shoulder
In many rehabilitation programs, the process of returning athletes to their sport after shoulder injuries can lack a consistent, objective framework, often resulting in varying decisions. That’s why we developed the "Foundations of Return to Sport: The Shoulder" course — a structured and repeatable approach that ensures a safe and successful return for athletes following shoulder injuries.
Our course combines objective assessments, evidence-driven criteria, and personalized strategies to help clinicians base their decisions on data, not bias or emotion. By completing this course, you will gain the confidence to make clear, consistent, and informed decisions in your practice, setting athletes up for a safe return to their sport.
What to expect:
- A framework to ensure athletes are fully prepared and safe to return to sport
- Clinical decision-making tools for assessing strength, function, and psychological readiness
- Objective entry and exit criteria for return-to-sport clearance
- Hands-on lab with muscle strength testing, functional performance tests, and psychological readiness assessments
Course Format
This course will be delivered in a 1-Day Format and will include both lectures and hands-on practice. Participants will engage in discussions, practical exercises, and demonstrations, ensuring they can apply learned concepts to real-world clinical settings.
Topics
Part 1: Introduction and Review of Return to Sport Testing
Discussion of common shoulder return-to-sport tests and other criteria, focusing on orthopedic physical exams, dynamometry, functional performance testing, and patient-reported outcome measures.
Part 2: Muscle Strength Testing with Isometric Dynamometry
Instructors will demonstrate multiple techniques for muscle strength testing, including Scaption, Abduction, External Rotation at 0° and 90°, and Internal Rotation at 0° and 90°. Participants will practice these techniques using isometric belt-stabilized dynamometers, and we will cover Limb Symmetry Index (LSI), EPIC, and relevant contextual ratios.
Part 3: Functional Performance Testing
This section will cover key functional performance tests essential for assessing an athlete's readiness to return to sport. Participants will learn how to conduct and analyze these tests, focusing on biomechanical considerations for effective decision-making.
Part 4: Psychological Readiness
In this section, we will emphasize the critical role of patient-reported outcome measures in assessing both function and psychological readiness for return to sport. These measures help clinicians evaluate the mental and emotional aspects of an athlete’s recovery, ensuring they are not only physically prepared but also mentally ready to return to play.
Accreditation
This class has been approved for CEU’s by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) of Massachusetts