Before progressing to higher-load activities, which criterion should be confirmed?

• A. Pain during movement
• B. Pain-free range of motion
• C. Imaging results only
• D. Time since injury

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that readiness to handle higher-load activities comes from restored functional capacity, not just time or imaging. Pain-free range of motion means you can move the joint through its full functional arc without pain, indicating the tissues have regained sufficient strength, flexibility, and coordination to tolerate loads. This serves as a practical, objective marker of recovery and load tolerance. If pain is present during movement, loading further could aggravate the injury. Imaging results alone don’t reveal how the tissue performs under load, and the time since injury varies between individuals, so it isn’t a reliable sole indicator.