This is a really quick one inspired by an IFAST client that recently suffered a sprained ankle. She’s got a pretty solid grade 2 sprain based current signs and symptoms. She came in early this week with a pretty solid intolerance to weight bearing. Ty was able to modify her training to keep it productive and protective of her injury due to the severity.
Two days later, the same client comes in wearing the standard protective boot issued by her ortho doc. She proceeds to knock out her full workout including some velocity-based squatting. I caught her at the front door on her way out to follow up on how she was doing.
“It’s just uncomfortable, no pain really.”
Without question, her recovery will be quicker than most who’ve suffered a similar injury. Her perceptions will allow her to overcome the self-limiting beliefs that stagnate recovery and prolong a return to play for many athletes.
I’ll take 100 more athletes like this one please!
This prompted a quick mind map that you’re free to steal if you ever need to explain the complexity of return to play to a parent or coach. It’s certainly not complete, but it may provide some guidance and demonstrate the complexity the question “how long will it take to recover from [insert injury here]?” and why one athlete comes back and others take much longer or never make it back.
It’s not as simple as healing time = ready to play.
