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PT After the Doctor Says ‘You’re Cleared’: Why Rehab Isn’t Over Yet

You’ve been sidelined for weeks. You followed the plan. You’ve seen your doctor. And now—you’re cleared.

Sounds like the end of your rehab journey, right?

Not so fast.

At Puckett Physical Therapy, we see this scenario all the time: an athlete gets the green light from their doctor and assumes they’re good to go. But here’s the truth:

Getting “cleared” isn’t the finish line—it’s just the start of the final phase.

Why “Cleared” Doesn’t Mean “100%”

When your doctor clears you, they’re typically saying:
✅ The tissue has healed
✅ There’s no sign of acute injury
✅ You’re ready to begin return-to-play progressions

What they’re not saying:
🚫 You’re back to pre-injury performance
🚫 You’re strong enough to compete at full speed
🚫 You’re safe from re-injury

That’s where performance-based rehab comes in.

Rehab Isn’t Just About Healing—It’s About Rebuilding

Once the pain is gone and the joint is stable, the real work begins. You’ve lost strength, coordination, muscle memory, and confidence during your time off—and you can’t regain all that overnight.

At this stage, we shift focus from injury recovery to athlete reconditioning:

  • Restoring power, agility, and speed

  • Fine-tuning mechanics and sport-specific movements

  • Testing functional strength and endurance

  • Addressing imbalances and compensations developed during injury

Without this phase, you may feel okay—but you won’t perform at your peak. And worse, you’re more vulnerable to re-injury.

The “Gap” Between Being Healed and Being Ready

We call it the Return-to-Sport Gap—the space between medical clearance and full performance readiness. It’s one of the most dangerous phases for athletes because they often:

  • Jump back into practice or games too quickly

  • Mistake absence of pain for full recovery

  • Don’t train the injured side to match the uninjured side

  • Skip the reconditioning work that ensures safe return

Rehab that stops too early is one of the top reasons athletes get hurt again.

How Puckett PT Closes That Gap

At Puckett Physical Therapy, we don’t stop when your doctor says you’re cleared—we push you through the final stretch. You’ll work 1-on-1 with a Doctor of Physical Therapy who designs a custom plan to:

  • Bridge the gap from clinical recovery to competitive readiness

  • Rebuild strength, stability, and mental confidence

  • Simulate real sport demands to test your body before game day

This isn’t general PT—it’s sports performance rehab tailored to your goals.

Let’s Finish What You Started

If you’ve been cleared but still feel “off”… if you want to avoid re-injury… if you’re serious about coming back stronger—don’t stop now.

📍 Puckett Physical Therapy
 14886 Tradesman Dr #110
San Antonio, TX 78249
📞 (210) 742-9423

Book your FREE phone consult today and let’s make sure your comeback is complete.
You’ve come this far—don’t settle for almost recovered. Let’s finish the job.