for injured athletes requires the strength and conditioning
professional to examine the rehabilitation and reconditioning goals to determine what type of program will allow the quickest return to competition. concluSion538 Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning Effective athletic injury rehabilitation and reconditioning require efficient co mmunication among the members of the sports medicine team. Each member plays a d istinct role in ensuring the injured athlete s return to function; although the job of eac h professional is different, the tasks of each complement those of the others on the team. Goals are established for each athlete, and therapeutic exercise programs must b e designed, administered, and progressed according to the tissue healing sequence. The program must be individualized to effectively return the athlete to normal funct ion and competitive athletics. Early rehabilitation for initial tissue protection and st rengthening is more structured than later rehabilitation phases; the latter allo w for progression to functional activities that are specific to the athlete s sport and position. De signing reconditioning programs for injured athletes necessitates a careful examination of the sport requirements and a thorough understanding of both the healing process and therapeutic exercise. but the bench press exercise may be contraindicated because it can place the inj ured shoulder in a vulnerable position. To clarify the strength and conditioning professional s role during this process, it may be beneficial to have the sports medicine team use a form that specifies the indications and contraindications, providing for safe and efficient conditioning (figure 20.1). The strength and conditioning professional must also communicate efficiently and effectively with other members of the sports medicine team. Specifically, other members should be aware of the strength and conditioning exercises that the injured athlete is performing, responses to the exercises, and any additional information deemed important by the strength and conditioning professional. In other words, the strength and conditioning professional should answer the follow ing questions: What is the athlete doing? How is the athlete progressing? Do any program changes need to be made? Figure 20.2 is a sample form that the strength and conditioning professional can use to communicate a given program s components and the athlete s subjective and objective responses to those components.