The Return-to-Sport Clearance Continuum Is a Novel Approach Toward Return to Sport and Performance for the Professional Athlete.

The concept of returning to sport for a professional athlete is still under debate for the professional athlete in today's sports environment. It is critical for the professional athlete to be able to return to sport at a highly competitive level but also to return in a safe and timely measure. With no "gold standard" of sport testing, it is difficult to determine what the right progression or testing regimen should be. The Return to Sport Clearance Continuum does not look at one moment in time, but looks throughout the continuum of healing to determine readiness for sport. The purpose of this article is to explore the concept of RTS being part of an evolving continuum rather than the traditional notion that RTS is a single decision made at a discrete point in time. The principles of progressive but regular testing procedures including qualitative and quantitative movement are presented to help the professional athlete return to sport at their maximal performance level. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: V, expert opinion.

The effects of a 7-week heavy elastic band and weight chain program on upper-body strength and upper-body power in a sample of division 1-AA football players.

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of a 7-week heavy elastic band and weighted-chain program on maximum muscular strength and maximum power in the bench press exercise. Thirty-six (n = 36) healthy men aged 18-30 years old, from the Robert Morris University football team, volunteered to participate in this study. During the first week, predicted 1 repetition maximum (1RM) bench press and a 5RM speed bench press tests were conducted. Subjects were randomly divided into 3 groups (n = 12): elastic band (EB), weighted chain (WC), and traditional bench (C). During weeks 2-8 of the study, subjects were required to follow the prescribed resistance training program. Mean and SD of the predicted 1RM bench press and 5RM speed bench press were computed. A two-factor (method X time) analysis was applied to identify significant differences between the training groups. Significance was set at alpha = 0.05. Results indicated a significant time (p < 0.05) but no group effect for both predicted 1RM (kg) and 5RM peak power tests (watts). Although not significant, results did show greater nonsignificant improvements in the EB (848-883 W) and WC groups (856-878 W) vs. control (918-928 W) when the 2 highest and greatest values were selected regarding peak power. The use of EB and WC in conjunction with a general off-season strength and conditioning program can increase overall maximum upper-body strength in a sample of Division 1-AA football players. These types of training modalities add a unique training style and more flexibility with respect to exercise prescription for athletes and strength practitioners.