Returning to Sports after an Injury

If you have sustained an injury, MCH Trauma  recommends you follow this action plan before you put your team jersey back on. Remember, you should only consider returning to contact and team sports once your symptoms have completely disappeared.   

After you finish your period of restricted activities, follow all of the steps of the training sequence outlined below before you return to play.

Note: If you have sustained a concussion, click here.

DAY 1: Light general conditioning exercises

• Start with a specific sport specific warm up.
• Do a workout (up to 30 minutes) which can include: running, bicycling, rowing, skating, skipping, swimming and doing foot-work drills.

DAY 2: General conditioning and skill work

• Slowly increase the intensity and duration of your workout (30-60 minutes) 
• Resistance training can be started and gradually increased. 
• Begin individual sport specific skill work, but NO spins, dives or jumps.

Suggested activities

• Basketball: shooting, dribbling, ball-handling.
• Soccer: ball handling, kicking.
• Football and Rugby: throwing and catching, running patterns.
• Hockey: stick-handling, shooting at net.

DAY 3: General conditioning, skill work and drills with a team mate

• NO CONTACT. Continue with general conditioning and skill work (up to 60 minutes)
• May begin general shooting, kicking or passing drills with a partner.
• May start beginner level spins, dives and jumps.

DAY 4: General conditioning, skill work, team drills.

• Do not play live scrimmages. NO CONTACT 
• Resume regular conditioning, duration of practice and team drills. 
• Increase resistance training and skill work as required 
• Gradually increase skill level of spins, dives and jumps 
• Review contact techniques: body-checking, boxing-out, tackling, heading a ball. Contact should be light and of low intensity, focusing on review of techniques.

DAY 5: Getting back in the game

Join your team in a full practice to get yourself back in the line-up.

CAUTION!

If your symptoms return at any time during this action plan, stop working out. At the next practice, start your activity by backing-up one day in this action plan.

If your symptoms get worse, seek medical attention.

Reviewed by Trauma specialists at the Montreal Children’s Hospital.
Last updated: July 2013, January 2016