[Return to play decisions in professional soccer: a decision algorithm from a team physician's viewpoint]

Especially in competitive professional sports, associated injuries often imply a specific challenge for the physicians responsible for team sports or tournaments. Besides choosing an optimal treatment strategy, in particular the time of absence from sports is of major relevance, not least because especially an "early return to play" may often qualify or disqualify a sports physician in the perception of the involved persons. Time pressure of a club and an athlete as well as an increasing number of matches per season may often result in inadequate rehabilitation periods or doubtful medical decisions and thus an increasing risk of reinjuries. On the other hand, professional sports may often reveal decisive circumstances, e.g., playing a final or special sportive pretensions of an athlete or a club, when - from a medical point of view - the classical "can or cannot play"-decision seams inappropriate. This article describes the borderline dilemma between responsible medical acting, irrespective of any sportive pressure of an athlete or the club and the need to concurrently take account of special circumstances in professional soccer sports. Furthermore, regarding the actual literature, a new decision model is presented which facilitates a responsible and well-balanced return to play decision respecting all the above named aspects.