Return to Sport

IBJI’s Return to Sport: Phase IV Program is designed for patients with hip, knee, or ankle injuries who wish to continue advanced rehabilitation to reduce the risk of reinjury.

Our evidence-based protocols cover multiple aspects of lower extremity conditioning, including:

• Sport-Specific Strengthening
• Power Production
• Explosiveness
• Plyometric and Jump Training
• Cutting and Pivoting Mechanics
• Techniques for Reducing Risk of Reinjury

Who Is an Ideal Candidate?

• Competitive and recreational athletes
• High school and collegiate post-injury ACL athletes
• Industrial athletes
• Weekend warriors

We perform baseline assessments to ensure safe participation in the Phase IV Program, track individual progress, and help patients make a full and safe return to sport.

Phase IV Options

Phase IV Therapy 

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 or athletic trainer.

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 a specific location as desired by supervising physical therapist or physician.

IBJI offers alternative options for patients that may have insurance limitations for advanced sport-specific rehabilitation.

Phase IV Class

The Phase IV Class is an innovative small group training option for patients with insurance limitations for advanced sport-specific rehabilitation.

This six-week circuit-style training class includes a progressive strength and conditioning program and comprehensive instruction on sport-specific skills, including:

• Plyometrics
• Sprinting
• Deceleration
• Cutting

In addition to facilitating a complete and safe return to sport and reducing the risk of reinjury, the Phase IV Class allows patients to develop relationships with other athletes with similar injuries.

The cost of this class—$360 ($30/visit)—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 with insurance limitations, class participation may be recommended by the supervising physician or based on patient preference.

Phase IV Training

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.

IBJI offers Phase IV Training at our Sports Institute in Highland Park and Morton Grove Rehabilitation Clinic.

Phase IV Testing

During a patient’s recovery, we will conduct incremental testing to assess the patient’s strength, benchmark completion, and readiness to progress to the next rehabilitation phase and return to sport. We will compare the patient’s involved side to the uninvolved side to individualize each assessment.

IBJI offers a variety of testing to ensure a safe and complete recovery.

Phase IV Baseline Assessment

To ensure the patient has the proper strength to enter the Phase IV Program or start the Phase IV Class, there are a few criteria the patient will have to complete in our Phase IV Baseline Assessment. This return to sport assessment will evaluate functional strength and limb symmetry and can be performed at any of our IBJI rehabilitation clinics.

Biodex Testing or Proprio 5000 Testing may be recommended if desired by the physician.

Phase IV Return-to-Sport Assessment

IBJI 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, 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 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 is tested at different speeds to give the physician, physical therapist, or athletic trainer insight into the patient’s progress and any remaining deficits or imbalances.

Biodex testing is offered at our Highland Park, Palatine, and Chicago – Avondale physical therapy clinics.

Proprio 5000 Testing

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 their balance with good core, hip, and knee control.

This type of return to sport testing provides the physician, physical therapist, or athletic trainer insight into 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.

Get Back in the Game

IBJI’s Phase IV Program is designed to provide a comprehensive approach that helps patients return to sport. Test selection and return-to-sport criteria are set based on evidence-based research to ensure a complete and safe return to sport and minimize the risk of future injury.

We 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.

Your physician, physical therapist, and athletic trainer will work together to determine when a patient may officially return to sports participation.