On-Court Rehabilitation-From Treatment Table and Return to Play to a Return to Performance

Abstract

Rehabilitation for basketball players needs to include a basketball as well as basketball-specific movements to properly prepare the athlete for a return to the court. Although the specifics of a rehabilitation program will be tailored to each individual athlete and injury, there are common elements to almost all rehabilitations. In particular, on-court progressions to gradually build and expose the athlete to the demands they will face upon a return to basketball can be similar across injuries. This chapter will focus on rehabilitation after a lower extremity injury and provide ideas for performance teams (medical, rehabilitation, strength and conditioning, sports science, and coaching) to consider in preparing an athlete.