How-to-Guide: Return to Play: A Data-Driven Approach to Safer Athlete Recovery
Smarter, Safer, and More Informed Return to Play Process
Ensure safe progression in training load and intensity for injured players, using Firstbeat Sports insights to rebuild fitness and replicate in-game demands.
Download the Guide to Learn:
✅ Before the session: Assess athletes readiness
✅ During the session: Monitor real-time training to meet session goals
✅ After the session: Ensure desired training load and replicate game demands
Guiding injured players back to play is crucial for coaches, involving careful management of training volume, intensity, and progression to avoid setbacks and ensure full recovery.
Poor load management contributes to 60–70% of soft tissue injuries, often due to sudden training increases or inadequate recovery. Previous injuries also significantly raise the risk of re-injury.

Who Is This Guide For?
🏆 Strength & Conditioning Coaches
⚕️ Sports Scientists & Medical Teams
⚽️ Coaches Managing Athlete Recovery and Rehabilitation Strategies
Why Firstbeat Sports?
Trusted by top teams worldwide, Firstbeat Sports provides science-backed physiological insights that help optimize training, recovery, and return-to-play strategies.

World Leading Technology Based on 20 Years of Scientific Research
Teams that adopt Firstbeat to integrate an athlete’s physiological condition into their coaching strategy will inevitably achieve performance gains while manage injury risks.
Firstbeat makes interpreting physiological data easy to understand by turning metrics like training load and recovery into actionable insights. We help coaches move beyond the raw numbers and focus on individual needs, making decisions with greater confidence.
- 1,000+ elite sport teams use Firstbeat
- 23,000+ pro athletes use Firstbeat