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Two scoping reviews highlight gaps in return-to-sport decision-making: psychological readiness under-assessed in hamstring rehabilitation, clearance criteria lack standardization after shoulder stabilization.
7 day briefing • 2026-05-29 - 2026-06-04 (5 days ago) • frozen
This week's major contributions come from two scoping reviews published in the sports medicine literature. The first, a synthesis of 29 studies on return to sport (RTS) after anterior shoulder stabilization (Bankart and Latarjet), found that while 82.3% of competitive athletes returned to pre-injury sport, clearance decisions varied widely. Only 45% of studies used objective strength or range-of-motion testing, and few incorporated functional or psychological readiness assessments.
Latarjet was associated with lower recurrent instability (3.1%) compared to Bankart (9.2%). The second review focused on psychosocial factors affecting RTS after hamstring strain injuries, analyzing 10 studies (663 participants, mostly elite football). It identified three domains—psychological (anxiety, fear, self-efficacy), social (therapeutic alliance, hierarchy), and contextual (season timing, resources)—that influence outcomes.
Psychological readiness was inconsistently defined and informally assessed. Both reviews call for standardized, criteria-based RTS protocols that integrate objective physical measures and psychosocial screening to improve safety and sustainability of return to sport. Additionally, the 'Strong for Life' series released a summary infographic on sarcopenia, emphasizing that supervised resistance training can modify the condition and reduce frailty and mortality in older adults.
Navigate Timescales
2026-05-29 - 2026-06-04
2026-05-11 - 2026-06-09
2026-03-12 - 2026-06-09
2025-06-10 - 2026-06-09
Each tier targets the nearest available window end date to this briefing.
Pillar Signal Heatmap
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Foot & Ankle Rehabilitation
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Tendinopathy Management
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Myofascial Release & Acupuncture
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Shoulder Rehabilitation
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Hip & Pelvic Girdle
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General MSK & Emerging Research
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Treatment Protocol Formulation
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Intensity is derived from pillar keyword overlap with headline, summary, key signals, and themes for each horizon.
Trend uses last 4 entries in this 7-day timescale (rightmost point is current).
Key Signals
- - Scoping review of 29 studies (2,187 athletes) found 82.3% returned to sport after shoulder stabilization; only 45% used objective strength/ROM testing.
- - Latarjet procedure showed lower recurrent instability (3.1%) than Bankart repair (9.2%).
- - Clearance criteria after shoulder stabilization lack standardization; few studies included functional or psychological readiness tests.
- - Hamstring strain RTS review (10 studies, n=663) identified three domains: psychological, social, and contextual factors.
- - Psychological readiness after hamstring injury is inconsistently defined and informally assessed; structured screening recommended.
- - Social factors such as therapeutic alliance and hierarchical pressures influence RTS decisions after hamstring strain.
- - Sarcopenia infographic (Part 3 of 'Strong for Life') highlights resistance training as a key modifiable intervention for frailty prevention.
Top Themes
Key References
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Return-to-Sport Rates and Clearance Criteria After Bankart and Laterjet Shoulder Stabilization: Scoping Review Findings
[rss]
First scoping review quantifying RTS rates and clearance criteria after shoulder stabilization in athletes.
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Psycho-social-contextual factors in return to sport after hamstring strain injuries: a scoping review
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High-quality scoping review mapping underappreciated psychosocial factors in hamstring RTS.
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Sarcopenia Summary Infographic: Part 3 of Strong for Life Series (2026)
[BJSM Blog — Front Page Listing]
Practical infographic for sarcopenia diagnosis and intervention in older adults.