Key Objective Measurements and Outcomes for Rehabilitation Success: Testing and Decision-Making

With anterior cruciate ligament injuries as prevalent as they are in sport, understanding the healing behind reconstruction and repair and how to return athletes to activity is extremely important to keep them safe. Having defined goals and markers to assess whether an individual is ready to return is becoming imperative to their well-being and yet is still a topic of varying thoughts. In order to provide optimal guidance during rehabilitation, it is important for all healthcare professionals to understand the current knowledge regarding biologic healing, psychological preparedness, functional readiness, strength testing, and risk factors involved in returning the athlete to play in a safe and timely fashion. In this chapter we analyze those factors along with where they were developed and how athletes can return at a level that allows them to play, minimizes risk, and increases the chances of longevity in sport.