Return to play after thyroiditis in a football athlete.

A collegiate football athlete presented to his athletic trainer with acute chest pain during practice. Subsequent workup revealed that the patient was in the hyperthyroid state of subacute thyroiditis. There are no published case reports or existing guidelines to guide clinicians on making the decision of when it is safe to return to play after hyperthyroid crisis. Return to play in cases of subacute thyroiditis should include resolution of symptoms, trending of thyroid function tests to euthyroid state, consideration of cardiovascular factors, and a graded return to play.