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Objective and subjective measures to guide upper extremity return to sport testing: A modified Delphi survey
Patrick Barber1, Marisa Pontillo2, Eric Bellm3
1University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.
Summary
Experts agree on key tests for athletes returning to sport after upper extremity injuries. This includes patient-reported outcomes, strength, range of motion, and specific physical performance tests.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Rehabilitation Science
- Orthopedics
Background:
- Upper extremity (UE) injuries are common in athletes.
- Objective criteria are needed to guide return to sport (RTS) decisions.
- Current RTS protocols lack consensus on specific tests.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify subjective and objective tests used by experts for UE injury RTS decision-making.
- To establish expert consensus on evaluating RTS readiness after UE injury.
Main Methods:
- A modified Delphi survey was administered to 52 UE rehabilitation content experts.
- Experts had ≥10 years of experience with UE athletic injuries and ≥5 years using an UE RTS algorithm.
- Survey items were based on a literature review of current best evidence and practice.
Main Results:
- Expert consensus was reached on several key RTS measures.
- Utilized tests include: tissue healing time frames, patient-reported outcomes (DASH, NPRS), strength (handheld dynamometer), and range of motion (ROM).
- Physical performance tests include: Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability test, Seated shot-put test, and lower extremity/core assessments.
Conclusions:
- Expert consensus was achieved on a combination of subjective and objective measures for UE RTS evaluation.
- This consensus provides a framework for guiding RTS decisions after UE injuries.
