Soccer America's Dr. Mishra outlines a common frame of reference that a team physician would use to clear a player to join the team on game day that was co-authored by Dr. Gord Matheson:
1. Medical factors - includes an evaluation of the injury, the athlete's healing stage, pain level, function, etc. Determination assesses appropriate healing, minimal pain, and acceptable function.
2. Sport-based risk evaluation - an evaluation done together with the athlete to assess the risks, both near-term and long-term risks of participation in the game.
3. Situation specific modifiers - these are more complicated considerations to navigate as it includes factors like the timing in the sports season (e.g. World Series, Tennis finals., etc ), athlete and coach input, financial implications, pressure of meeting fan expectations, etc.
The decision is usually unique to each situation as it includes complex factors to consider. Dr. Bert Mandelbaum, the longtime national team physician for U.S. Soccer and Advisor to Sideline Sports Doc shared, “No matter the situation, whether it is a practice with very young players, a club team in a championship, or a professional in the World Cup there’s one thing we must do always: put the player first.”
For more details: Making the game day 'go' or 'no go' decision
Image Credit: Future Stars Camps
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