What is the approach when an athlete returns from injury regarding normative testing?

• A. Reassess with injury-appropriate norms; monitor return-to-play progression; adjust tests to ensure safety and accurate interpretation.
• B. Use pre-injury norms exclusively.
• C. Skip testing until fully recovered.
• D. Immediately test with standard norms to compare.

Answer: (A)

When an athlete returns from injury, testing should be tied to the current rehab status rather than relying on pre-injury data alone. Reassess with injury-appropriate norms and establish baselines that reflect where the athlete is in recovery. By monitoring progression through a staged return-to-play plan and adjusting the tests to match safety and interpretation, you get meaningful, valid evidence of readiness. Using pre-injury norms exclusively ignores deconditioning and compensatory changes; skipping testing until fully recovered misses objective progress markers; and testing with standard norms immediately can mislead decisions because residual effects of the injury haven’t fully resolved.