Advances in rehabilitation and performance testing.

Specialized testing procedures allow rehabilitation clinicians and strength and conditioning specialists to measure progress and functional level. Testing will ensure a safe progression throughout the rehabilitative course by providing the needed criteria for advancement. Performance testing quantifies the pure physical nature of athletic performance. Successful rehabilitation can be attained only by following a functional progression. Testing procedures also follow a progression, which begins with basic measures and progresses to functional tests of increasing difficulty that include sports-specific testing before returning to field play. Clinical tests provide both quantitative and qualitative information. These tests not only quantify physiologic response to rehabilitation but also allow the clinician to provide qualitative feedback to an individual during a specific activity. Balance, strength, power, cardiovascular endurance, functional movement, as well as the component of apprehension with sport-specific activity are important and valuable measures in prevention, rehabilitation, and performance programs.