Podcast #100 · 12 May 2026
Return to Play Post Injury: Balancing Risk & Recovery
- Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (ACL Reconstruction)
- Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tear (ACL Tear)
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Sports Medicine
- Athletic Training
- Physical Therapy
- Return-to-Play (RTP)
“The athlete’s job is to stay consistent with rehab and to be hungry to get back on the field. I think our job as a sports medicine team is to make sure that they’re safe and that they can perform.” In this episode of BackTable MSK, guest host and sports medicine physician Dr. Larry Balle joins physical therapist/athletic trainer Andy Glidewell to discuss how “return to play” is defined and why it is often misunderstood among athletes, coaches, physicians, and rehab teams.
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More about this episode
They emphasize that return to play is a milestone-based rehabilitation phase requiring clear communication, collaboration, and risk management, rather than rigid timelines or just “vibes.” The conversation covers how evidence and objectivity have shaped protocols (notably ACL timelines), the role of prognostic indicators in operative vs. non-operative decisions, and practical use of functional strength and agility reassessment. They also address pressures of working with elite sport and NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) considerations. Furthermore, they expand on how AI may inform, but not replace, the humanistic and team-based components of decision making.