Return to sport calculator

When can you play again? Pick your injury, how bad it is and your sport for a realistic return date range, plus the readiness checklist that actually decides it. Free, no signup.

This is a general estimate and educational information, not an assessment of your injury and not medical advice. It never clears you to return to sport. Let the readiness criteria and a physiotherapist, not a date, make that call. Recovery timelines are estimates, not promises.
Track your comeback in InjuryLog

Criteria, not the calendar

A date is useful for planning, but it does not decide when you're ready. The safest returns are led by clear milestones: the injury is comfortable in daily life, moves as freely as the other side, is nearly as strong, handles sport-specific drills without pain, and you trust it under pressure. Hitting a target date while missing these is how re-injuries happen.

1
No pain in daily life
The injury is comfortable through a normal day and normal walking, with no swelling flaring up afterwards.
2
Full, equal range of movement
The joint or muscle moves as freely as the other side, with no stiffness holding you back.
3
Strength close to the other side
Strength and power are roughly symmetrical (often judged near 90% of the uninjured side) before impact and sprinting.
4
Sport-specific drills pain-free
You can run, change direction, jump or grip at training intensity without pain or hesitation.
5
Confidence in the movement
You trust the body part under pressure. Hesitation and guarding are themselves a re-injury risk.

Go deeper on your injury

For the full picture, try the recovery time estimator to see the phased timeline, count the days since your injury, or read the detailed guide for your injury in the injury library, with red flags and what to track at each stage.

Frequently asked questions

How is my return-to-sport date calculated?

The tool adds a typical recovery window for your injury and severity to the date you were injured, and nudges it slightly for the demands of your sport. It gives a realistic date range for a full return, not a fixed day. It is a general estimate, not an assessment of your injury or a promise.

Should I return to sport based on a date or on how I feel?

On criteria, not the calendar. The safest returns are decided by whether you have met clear milestones: no pain in daily life, full and equal range of movement, strength close to the other side, and sport-specific drills done pain-free and with confidence. The date is a guide for planning; the checklist is what actually clears the way.

What happens if I go back to sport too early?

Returning before the injury has the strength and control it needs is one of the most common causes of re-injury and long-term setbacks. Meeting the readiness criteria matters more than hitting a target date. If you are unsure, a physiotherapist can test your readiness properly.

How accurate is a return-to-sport estimate?

Recovery ranges are wide because people heal at different rates. Your age, history, how you rehab and the demands of your sport all move the date. Use the estimate to plan, track your own progress, and let the readiness criteria, not the calendar, make the final call. Recovery timelines are estimates, not promises.