The sociology of return-to-play decision making: a clinical perspective.

n An 18 year-old female member of the national soccer team underwent an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction 6 months previously. The university’s athletic therapist cleared the athlete for training the week previous. There is an important competition for her university this weekend and the university coach wants the athlete to play and believes she is ready to compete. The athlete says she wants to play. The national team physician/ surgeon becomes aware of the situation just prior to the weekend and does not feel that it is safe for the athlete to compete.