ABSTRACT
Perhaps when the team physician thinks about rehabilitation, he or she may not automatically consider its application to initial injury management. Rehabilitation begins at the time of injury and continues beyond the time the athlete returns to competition. What is done at fieldside may be more relevant to the athlete’s recovery of musculoskeletal health than at any other time. We will discuss briefly the basic principles, phases, and techniques of rehabilitation. While they will be introduced individually, one must remember that rehabilitation occurs on a continuum, with much overlap. For example, there is no sharp cutoff between acute and subacute management techniques. The team physician must regularly re-evaluate the athlete’s status and progress him or her appropriately. Comprehensive management uses multiple approaches. Additional approaches can be added or deleted, based on the athlete’s response.
