SELF-CHECK CENTER
Ten questions, four areas
Ten short questions across four areas - symptoms, function, strength, and confidence - that give you a first readiness picture before going back to sports after an injury or surgery in the knee, ankle, hip, or leg muscles.
This is a reflection questionnaire, not a performance test. No movements needed - just answer honestly.
This tool is for general guidance only - it is not a medical diagnosis or a clearance to return to sport. Results are anonymous and never leave your device - they are saved only locally.
Background question 1 of 2
What type of injury are you coming back from?
Background question 2 of 2
How long has it been since the injury or surgery?
Your result
An indicative readiness picture
The structure follows the 2016 Bern consensus statement on return to sport (Ardern et al., BJSM), which frames the decision as a multifactorial risk-management process involving both body and mind. The confidence questions are inspired by the three domains of the ACL-RSI scale (Webster & Feller): emotions, confidence in performance, and risk appraisal.
The notes on return timing are based on Grindem et al. 2016 (the Delaware-Oslo cohort) and Beischer et al. 2020. This questionnaire is not one of those research tools - it is a reflection tool built with their findings in mind.
Want to plan your next steps toward return?
This tool is for general guidance only - it is not a medical diagnosis or a clearance to return to sport. Results are anonymous and never leave your device - they are saved only locally.
WHERE TO GO NEXT
The Knowledge Center has an in-depth article about your injury, organized by body area.
All checks in the Self-Check Center To the Knowledge Center →What does the return to sport questionnaire check?
Returning to sport after an injury or surgery is a process, not a single moment, and deciding when to return is one of the most important decisions in rehab. The questionnaire looks at your subjective picture across four areas: symptoms (pain and swelling after effort), function (running, hopping on the injured leg, and direction changes), the feeling of strength and control compared to the other side, and confidence and mindset - the thoughts and worries that come with returning to activity. The result is a 0 to 100 readiness score with a breakdown by area.
What is the score based on?
The structure follows the 2016 Bern consensus statement on return to sport (Ardern et al., BJSM), which frames the decision as a multifactorial risk-management process involving both body and mind. The confidence questions were written with the three domains of the ACL-RSI scale (Webster & Feller) in mind: emotions, confidence in performance, and risk appraisal. The score is the average of the four areas - a reflection tool, not a standardized research measure and not a probability of a successful return.
Return timing after ACL reconstruction
In young athletes who returned to knee-strenuous sports less than 9 months after ACL reconstruction, the rate of a second ACL injury was about 7 times higher (Beischer 2020). In the Delaware-Oslo study, every month that return was delayed up to 9 months was linked to a 51 percent drop in reinjury rates, and people who met objective criteria before returning had far fewer reinjuries (Grindem 2016). The practical takeaway: not time alone and not feeling alone - the decision combines time, measured strength, and functional tests. Similar principles apply after a meniscus tear, surgical or conservative.
When should you see a physical therapist?
Before any step up in activity level - returning to running, full training, or competition; when one area in the questionnaire is much lower than the others; when pain or swelling keeps coming back after effort; and when you had ACL reconstruction and 9 months have not yet passed. A professional assessment includes strength, hop, and stability tests that a questionnaire cannot estimate.
Sources: Ardern et al., Br J Sports Med 2016 · Grindem et al., Br J Sports Med 2016 · Beischer et al., J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2020 · Webster & Feller, ACL-RSI. This questionnaire is not one of these research tools and does not replace a professional assessment.