Return-to-Play after Lower Limb Muscle Injury in Football - The Italian Consensus Conference Guidelines

Return to training (RTT) and return to play (RTP) decisions making process in football are currently based on expert's opinion. However, there are no consensus guidelines on evidence-based decision-making. This book provides a framework for evidence-based decision-making both in RTT and RTP following lower-limb muscle injuries sustained in football.Based on the 'Italian Consensus Conference (2019) on return-to-play after lower limb muscle injury in football', it provides a list of RTT and RTP criteria after such injuries compiled by orthopedic surgeons, sports physicians, radiologists, rehabilitation physicians, sport physiologists, general surgeons, family physicians, physiotherapists, physical trainers and psychologists working in elite football in Italy.
The book identifies the main criteria for RTT and RTP following injuries involving the most important muscle groups, i.e. quadriceps, hamstring, hip adductor, hip external rotator, iliopsoas and soleus-gastrocnemius.
As such it is a valuable reference resource for practitioners making RTT and RTP decisions making process.

Gian Nicola Bisciotti is Director of Performance Department of Paris Saint Germain Football Club (F). He was Head Physiologist at Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, FIFA Centre of Excellence, Doha (Qatar) from 2010 to 2020. He has worked for FC Internazionale Milano for 20 years, and from 2010 to 2017 he was responsible for rehabilitation for the Algerian National Football Team, including at the World Championships in 2010 and 2014, African Cup of Nations 2013, 2015 and 2017. He was also responsible for athletic training for the Qatar National Football Team with which he participated in the Gulf Cup 2014 and Asian Cup 2015. He was a university professor at the Faculté des Sciences des Sports at Lyon University for 11 years. He published 23 books on sport physiology, biomechanics and sport medicine and more than 400 scientific articles, many of which are indexed in peer-reviewed journals.

Alessandro Corsini is the Team Doctor at F.C. Internazionale Milano (Serie A) since 2014. He was the team physician for A.C. Rodengo Saiano, Feralpi Salò and Leonessa Handball and he is still referring physician for many other teams and professional athletes. From 2007 to 2014 he collaborated with the Medical Commission of the Italian Winter Sports Federation (FISI), providing medical assistance to the national Alpine Ski Team during World Cup races. He is member of the Italian Federation of Sports Medicine and Vice President of Sport Medicine Committee of the Scientific Society SIAGASCOT. He is actually President of the Sport Medicine Association of Brescia.

Piero Volpi became Director of Knee Surgery and Sport Traumatology Unit at Istituto Clinico Humanitas - IRCCS, Milan, Italy in 2010. He was a Teaching Professor at the Specialty School of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University of Milan. His interests include sport traumatology, arthroscopic surgery, knee surgery and cartilage repair. He was President of SIA (Società Italiana di Artroscopia) and Secretary of EFOST (European Federation of National association of Orthopaedic Sport Traumatology). He was a member of the Sports Committee of ESSKA (European Society of Sports Traumatology Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy) and President of the Sports Committee of SIGASCOT (Societa' Italiana Ginocchio Artroscopia Sport Cartilagine e Tecnologie Ortopediche), where he is also a member of the Executive Committee and President of the Scientific Committee. He is currently Head of Medical Staff at F.C. Internazionale Milan. He has been the physician responsible for the Italian Association Football Players (AIC) since 2000 and is a member of the UEFA Medical Committee.