• July 2, 2026 | 9:00 AM - 9:55 AM
• PCC,105AB

Preseason Baseline Testing to Inform Injury Prevention and Return to Play Planning

This presentation outlines the development and implementation of a preseason baseline testing program designed to inform injury prevention strategies and return-to-play (RTP) planning for collegiate athletes, with a focus on Clemson Women’s Lacrosse. It critiques traditional RTP criteria—often limited by assumptions of symmetry and non-specific testing—and introduces a collaborative, sport-specific model integrating sports medicine, strength and conditioning, and sports science. The program includes position-specific data collection, repeated testing, and a level-based RTP framework. Initial findings highlight asymmetries and modifiable risk factors, guiding targeted interventions. The model is adaptable to other teams, sports, and clinical settings beyond Clemson University.

Learning Objectives - Describe the limitations of current return-to-play testing criteria.
- Identify the roles of athletic training, physical therapy, strength and conditioning, and sports science in creating a novel, collaborative baseline testing protocol used to establish healthy individual norms.
- Describe multidisciplinary injury prevention strategies informed by baseline data.
- Describe the use of baseline data to individualize return-to-play expectations for injured athletes.
- Apply the principles of Clemson’s level-based return-to-play framework to evaluate individual athlete readiness for return to sport and guide sport-specific rehabilitation progression.

Keywords: 1. Functional 2. Sport Science 3. Interdisciplinary Collaboration