The Illinois Bone & Joint Institute’s Phase IV Program is designed for patients with hip, knee, or ankle injuries who wish to continue advanced rehabilitation to facilitate return to sport and reduce the risk of re-injury. Our evidence-based protocols will teach and cover multiple aspects of lower extremity conditioning including:
Baseline and Return-to-Sport Assessments are performed on each patient to ensure safe participation in the Phase IV Program, track each patient’s individual progress, and ensure a full and safe return to sport. Additional information on Phase IV testing is provided below.
If advanced sport-specific rehabilitation is covered by the patient’s insurance company, the patient will be seen in Phase IV Therapy, receiving one-on-one care with a physical therapist and/or athletic trainer. The patient’s individual insurance information will be collected and verified at the time of scheduling to determine coverage for Phase IV Therapy.
Phase IV Therapy can be performed at any of our IBJI rehabilitation clinics, dependent on space and staffing. A patient may be referred to continue Phase IV therapy at specific location as desired by supervising physical therapist or physician.
The Illinois Bone & Joint Institute offers alternative options for patients that may have insurance limitations for advanced sport-specific rehabilitation.
The Phase IV Class is an innovative small group training option for patients with insurance limitations for advanced sport-specific rehabilitation. This 6-week circuit-style training class includes a progressive strength and conditioning program and comprehensive instruction on sport-specific skills including plyometrics, sprinting, deceleration, and cutting. In addition to facilitating a full and safe return to sport and reducing the risk of re-injury, the Phase IV Class gives patients an opportunity to develop relationships with other athletes with similar injuries.
The cost of this 6-week class is $360 ($30/visit). The cost of this class is not covered by insurance. Attendance twice a week is mandatory.
For continuity within each Phase IV Class, we strongly request that all participants start on the listed start date for a given location. While the Phase IV Class is meant for patients that have insurance limitations, class participation may be recommended by the supervising physician or based on patient preference.
For patients with insurance limitations that are unable to attend the Phase IV Class or would prefer one-on-one individualized care, we offer one-hour training sessions at a rate of $70/session. Phase IV Training is currently offered at the IBJI Sports Institute in Highland Park and the IBJI Morton Grove Rehabilitation Clinic.
During the course of a patient’s recovery, incremental testing will be conducted to assess the patient’s strength, benchmark completion and readiness to progress to the next phase of rehabilitation. The patient’s involved side will be compared to the uninvolved side in order to individualize each assessment. The Illinois Bone & Joint Institute offers a variety of testing in order to ensure a safe and full recovery.
Phase IV Baseline Assessment: In order to ensure the patient has the proper strength to enter the Phase IV Program and/or start the Phase IV Class, there are a few criteria the patient will have to successfully complete in our Phase IV Baseline Assessment. This assessment will evaluate functional strength and limb symmetry and can be performed at any of our IBJI rehabilitation clinics. Biodex Testing and/or Proprio 5000 Testing may be recommended if desired by the physician.
Phase IV Return-to-Sport Assessment: The Illinois Bone & Joint Institute offers a standard Phase IV Return-to-Sport Assessment comprised of an evaluation of functional strength, limb symmetry, plyometric power, and visual assessment of dynamic movement. This assessment provides the physician, physical therapist, and/or athletic trainer with valuable information to assess the patient’s readiness to safely return to sport and can be performed at any of our IBJI rehabilitation clinics. Biodex Testing and/or Proprio 5000 Testing may be recommended if desired by the physician.
Biodex Testing: The Biodex is used to precisely measure the force generated by the prime muscles that move the knee: the quadriceps and hamstrings. The strength of these muscles are tested at different speeds in order to give the physician, physical therapist, and/or athletic trainer insight into the patient’s individual progress and any remaining deficits and/or imbalances. Biodex testing is offered at our Highland Park, Palatine, and Chicago – Avondale physical therapy clinics.
Proprio 5000 Testing: The Proprio 5000 is used to measure, assess, and train the patient’s dynamic stability. The athlete stands on a moving platform with either double-leg or single-leg stance, attempting to maintain his or her balance with good core, hip, and knee control. This testing provides the physician, physical therapist, and/or athletic trainer insight on the patient’s lower extremity strength and dynamic core, hip, and knee stability. Proprio 5000 testing is offered at our Glenview and Morton Grove physical therapy clinics.
IBJI’s Phase IV Program is designed to offer a comprehensive approach to returning the patient to the court/field. In order to ensure a full and safe return to sport and minimize the risk of future injury, test selection and return-to-sport criteria are set based on evidence-based research. The criteria require strength, functional movement, and dynamic movement scores on the involved limb to be within 85-90% of the uninvolved limb to ensure normalized endurance, strength, stability, and power. The physician, physical therapist, and athletic trainer will work together with the patient to determine when he/she may officially return to sports participation.