"We shouldn't treat the MRI, we want to treat our athletes."
In this episode, Roula Kotsifaki discusses her recent research on ACL recovery, emphasizing the evolving perspectives in rehabilitation.
She highlights the importance of balancing tissue healing with performance metrics, the significance of objective criteria for return to sport, and the need to focus on performance rather than solely on injury prevention.
Roula also addresses the complexities of defining re-injury and the role of objective data in guiding rehabilitation practices.
Episode Summary
- Roula Kotsifaki is head of the assessment unit at Aspetar, a world-leading specialised orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital
- The pendulum of ACL recovery perspectives has shifted over the years, emphasizing the need for ongoing research.
- Tissue healing timelines do not always correlate with performance readiness for athletes.
- Objective criteria for return to sport should focus on individual athlete metrics rather than strict timelines.
- Vertical jump testing may provide better insights into readiness than traditional horizontal hop tests.
- Progress in rehabilitation directly correlates with the chances of returning to pivoting sports.
- Defining re-injury is complex and should consider the context of the injury.
- Objective data is crucial for guiding rehabilitation but should not be the sole focus.
- Athletes need to understand that passing tests does not guarantee they won't get injured again.
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