Enhancing Return to Alpine Skiing: Integrating Perceptual-Motor-Cognitive Considerations in Testing and Progressions: A Clinical Commentary.
Conor Smith, Dustin R Grooms, Helen Bradley
PMID 38966833WHAT IT FOUND
This clinical commentary proposes adding visual and cognitive challenges to return-to-snow testing for alpine skiers after ACL reconstruction.
It argues that standard strength tests miss neuroplastic deficits that increase re-injury risk. No patients were tested, so no outcomes are reported.
What this paper is
This is a clinical commentary proposing theoretical updates to return-to-snow testing for alpine skiers. It reviews existing literature and suggests perceptual-motor-cognitive additions to rehabilitation protocols, but it reports no original patient data, outcomes, or intervention results. There is no finding here to act on.
What it does not show
The piece is a narrative commentary and theoretical proposal, not an empirical study. It does not report whether the suggested perceptual-motor-cognitive testing progressions actually improve outcomes or reduce re-injury rates. No patients were recruited, assessed, or followed up.
Declared interests
Dustin Grooms reports grants from the US Department of Defense and the National Institutes of Health, as well as consulting fees from Kinesport physical therapy.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat the suggested testing protocols and return-to-snow progressions as evidence-based standards. They are theoretical proposals by the authors that have not been validated in a clinical trial.