ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces and discusses several ethical challenges and considerations associated with return-to-play decision making; elements that are often overlooked in strength and conditioning signature pedagogies. The drivers of coach and athlete behaviours are examined in the context of the ‘sport ethic’ (what it takes to be an athlete), and the ‘sporting habitus’ (culture of the sport). The chapter introduces discussion of the capacity and ability of strength and conditioning coaches to contribute to various stages of injury treatment and management. Several apparent contradictions relating to an ‘ethic of care’ are noted, particularly the amount of physical and physiological recovery expected and accepted for a safe return to play. While elite sports involve typically highly detailed and controlled environments, the return-to-play process, in many cases, appears to be surprisingly ad hoc and inconsistent. Attitudes to injury and pain by athletes, coaches and interested observers are discussed. The chapter concludes by discussing the tensions around the ethics of return-to-play decision making and in particular reconciling personal, professional and organisational values.
