A Model for Applying Situational Awareness Theory to the Return to Sport Continuum.
Ke'La H Porter, Matthew C Hoch
PMID 37547828WHAT IT FOUND
A proposed framework links situational awareness to return-to-sport stages, suggesting athletes need to demonstrate reactive control in chaotic environments before full competition.
This is a theoretical model, not tested evidence, so it cannot be used to justify or deny clearance for a patient.
What this paper is
This is a theoretical commentary proposing a model for return-to-sport decisions based on situational awareness. It describes no patients, reports no outcomes, and provides no evidence that the proposed model improves safety or performance, so there is nothing here to change your practice on.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat this model as a validated clinical guideline. It has not been tested in patients, so applying its specific progression rules (e.g., error thresholds or cognitive task sequences) to a real athlete is an untested intervention.