Abstract
The ability to predict an athlete's recovery time and rate with a view to return to sport, particularly at the elite level, is a common goal for the sports health professional. At present, such predictions are approximated through subjective opinion, expert knowledge and guidelines from clinical pathways based on injury mechanism, region, tissue type, severity, pathology and physiology that has been garnered over years of clinical practice and continuing education. However, such opinions can vary between professions and practitioners and are not quantifiable. A new approach, integrates bio-psycho-social screening and patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures through a technology based computer system. This provides a prediction methodology that is both accurate and self rectifying by means of a real time progress extrapolation feedback loop. This is achieved through the use of a decision support software program that reflects on statistically analysed test-case data using correlation coefficients, regression analysis, and mathematical modelling. The real-time status assessment ensures both a quantifiable model and motivational tool with direct comparison to the immediate past history, previous injury recovery with subsequent direct prediction of future recovery and competition return. The use of such an integrated system with graphical representation of these values ensures a common language and visual history that is easy to use and provides instant communication between all parties-the athlete, medical, coaching, management and sponsorship support. This presentation uses case examples in both team and individual sports to detail and highlight the current level of progress in this technology and its future direction. The world of the elite athlete can enable specific sports to be through a professional team and individual competition. This provides a unique testing ground for the ability to forecast recovery time-frames for return to sport. However, technology currently plays a limited role in the measurement of the sporting individual's status and the prediction of return to sport and competition. This presentation brings to light the area of interactive software that facilitates and quantifies this process which in turn drives the decision pathway for both rehabilitation and sporting endeavour.