20/02/2026
When it comes to return to play, testing matters 📊
But it’s not the only thing that matters.
After a shoulder injury or surgery, we look at how quickly the shoulder can absorb force, stabilise and regain control after load 💪
That data is powerful.
It guides decisions.
It gives us objective markers.
It reduces guesswork.
But numbers alone don’t clear someone ❌
It’s about:
✔ Progressive loading over time 📈
✔ Building true load tolerance
✔ Restoring tissue capacity
✔ Exposing the shoulder to sport-specific stress 🏐
✔ Watching the quality of movement — not just the outcome 👀
Rehab is bigger than a score on a screen.
Because in sport, that split second matters.
A tackle.
A fall.
A hand pass under contact.
Landing through the arm.
Can they control range?
Are they compensating through trunk or elbow?
Does fatigue change the pattern?
Can they repeat it consistently?
Testing helps us decide.
Progressive loading builds capacity.
Movement quality tells us if it’s truly ready.
Return to play isn’t one green light 🚦
It’s a series of boxes ticked — objectively and clinically.
That’s how you reduce re-injury risk.
That’s how you earn your way back 🔁
