So you’re finally feeling better after an injury. But are you ready to be competitive in your sport again, able to make that split-second decision to cut, slide, jump or dive for that barely reachable catch?

Return-to-play decisions can be tricky. There’s a definite advantage to having a medical professional help you with the decision, which is why having a certified athletic trainer is essential.

If you don’t have a trainer, here are some basic tips:

Is your range of motion normal and free from pain? If you still lack your full range of motion (ROM) or it hurts, then you’re probably not ready for full participation.

Is your balance and proprioception normal? Proprioception is your body’s awareness in space. It’s how you know you can fit through a small space, or that you can tiptoe down the sideline without stepping out of bounds. It’s a calculation you make without pulling out the calculator. With injuries, this is damaged and therefore also needs rehab. Make sure to incorporate balance exercises that mimic your sport.

How’s your agility? You know you want to cut or dive, but can you without pain? Can you do it as quickly as before? If you answer no, then there’s more work to do. This is very sport-dependent, and no cookie cutter rehab will get you ready. Pick rehab that mimics drills for your sport. Break them down and slow the pace until you can comfortably do it at top speed.

Has your full strength returned? A great check is to compare it to your body's uninjured counterpart. While you expect some small differences, if you’re dominant in one versus the other, in general these should be similar in ROM and strength. Also, you can’t decide you have full strength if you don’t have full ROM. These go hand in hand. You need to have strength to be sure you’re not forced into hyper ranges of motion. While regular strength training is a great start, you also need this to be sport-specific. If you can’t protect yourself, you’re probably not quite ready for return.

Do you trust yourself? This is a tough one. Depending on the injury, the athlete and timeline, there may be a psychological aspect. Strength, ROM, balance, agility all check out, but for some reason, in real time at practice or in a game, it just doesn’t work. If this occurs, return to rehab, break down each aspect and work until you achieve top form.

These are good tips, but if you experience issues, seek medical attention.

Tiffany Morton graduated from Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. She later completed her masters of science in athletic training at Florida International University. She worked two years as a high school athletic trainer at Miami Southridge before starting her NFL career, first as a summer intern for the Minnesota Vikings in 2015 followed by a seasonal internship with the Kansas City Chiefs. In March 2016, Morton joined the Kansas City Chiefs sports medicine staff as an assistant athletic trainer.