Return to Sport

Have you sustained a recent injury in your sport, such as an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear? Have you undergone rehabilitation treatments for your sports injury? Do you feel ready to get back into the game? If you’ve answered yes to all these questions, you may benefit form our return to sport service. These assessments will evaluate your physical performance and function to determine if you are ready to return to your activity or sport. For more information, contact Respire Physical Therapy today.

ACL injuries are some of the most common sports-related injuries that our Falls Church, VA physical therapists treat. Such complex injuries always require a custom return to sport program, as there is a lot of recovery and rehabilitation that needs to be taken into account. We will evaluate the symmetry, power, strength, balance, and readiness of the affected body part in relation to returning to the desired sport. 

Return to sport has proven successful in determining patients’ preparedness for returning to the demands of certain physical activities. For example, a study titled “Self-Reported Fear Predicts Functional Performance and Second ACL Injury After ACL Reconstruction and Return to Sport: A Pilot Study,” from the National Institutes of Health focuses on that very topic. 

In the study, it states that 23.5% of participating patients sustained a second ACL injury just 12 months after their ACL reconstruction, while 37.5% sustained a non-contact tear just 24 months after their ACL reconstruction. These statistics demonstrate why return to sport programs are so important – far too many athletes return to the demands of their sports before they are ready! 

If you are ready to get back to playing the sport you love, request an appointment at Respire Physical Therapy in Fall Church, VA today. Our Falls Church, VA physical therapy office is dedicated to helping athletes regain their function and get back to doing the activities they love!