“You are cleared for full participation.”
That is the sentence every injured athlete patiently waits to hear. It’s the statement that allows athletes to return to play without restrictions. It’s the green light.
Sports fans spend significant amounts of time and energy waiting for their favorite athletes to receive medical clearance.
Athletes and fans aren’t the only ones waiting for that golden sentence. Physicians love saying it. Sometimes that’s overlooked. Doctors can be portrayed as the “bad guys” keeping athletes off the field, but the responsibility of physicians is to look out for the athlete’s well-being, in the short-term and long-term.