Return to sport after shoulder injury: narrative review and phase-based rehabilitation pathway Wiederaufnahme des Sports nach Schulterverletzung: narrative Übersichtsarbeit und phasenbasiertes Rehabilitationskonzept
Türkmen I, Schröter S, Hotfiel T, Grim C (2026)
Publication Type: Journal article, Review article
Publication year: 2026
Journal
DOI: 10.1007/s11678-025-00898-9
Abstract
Shoulder problems such as acute traumatic lesions, overuse-related pathologies, and sport-specific adaptive changes are common in overhead athletes and represent a leading cause of time loss from training and competition. The joint’s exceptional mobility, coupled with the need for high-speed stability, makes it prone to both traumatic incidents and repetitive overuse. Returning to play requires more than tissue healing: Athletes must regain pain-free motion, near-equal strength, sport-specific power, and the confidence to meet the full demands of their sport. This narrative review highlights current knowledge on injury patterns, rehabilitation principles, and decision-making for return to sport. A phase-based, criteria-driven pathway is outlined, progressing from restoration of range of motion and strength to power development, sport-specific skill retraining, objective functional testing, and shared clearance for competition. Reported return rates and timelines vary widely across diagnoses and sports, and no single clinical test reliably predicts readiness. Individualized, criteria-driven programs that integrate physical and psychological factors remain essential for a safe and effective return to performance.
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Germany (DE)How to cite
APA:
Türkmen, I., Schröter, S., Hotfiel, T., & Grim, C. (2026). Return to sport after shoulder injury: narrative review and phase-based rehabilitation pathway Wiederaufnahme des Sports nach Schulterverletzung: narrative Übersichtsarbeit und phasenbasiertes Rehabilitationskonzept. Obere Extremitat. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11678-025-00898-9
MLA:
Türkmen, Ismail, et al. "Return to sport after shoulder injury: narrative review and phase-based rehabilitation pathway Wiederaufnahme des Sports nach Schulterverletzung: narrative Übersichtsarbeit und phasenbasiertes Rehabilitationskonzept." Obere Extremitat (2026).
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