Practice
Why we re-test before each stage
Progressing on the calendar rather than on evidence is how injuries recur. What we measure before moving you on.
Dr. Dalton Menezes (PT) · 2 min read · August 28, 2026
Our plans move through four stages — Relieve, Restore, Rebuild, Return. The stages are not time slots. You move up when you have earned it, and the way we know is by testing the same things the same way each visit.
What gets measured
- Range of motion. How far the joint travels, measured consistently rather than by eye.
- Pain on load. What the area tolerates before pain, not just how it feels at rest.
- Strength and control. Whether you can hold a position, not only reach it.
- Everyday function. Stairs, lifting, sleeping, sport — the tasks you came back for.
Why the number matters
Pain is a poor progress marker on its own. It improves early, often well before the tissue can handle full load, which is exactly when people feel ready and go back to everything at once. Measuring gives you something more reliable than how the injury feels on a good day.
Feeling better and being ready are different things, and the gap between them is where re-injury lives.
What happens if you do not pass
Nothing dramatic — we stay at the current stage and adjust the loading. That is not a setback; it is the system working. The alternative, progressing anyway, is the most common reason a recovery has to start over.
This article is general information, not a substitute for an individual assessment. Every recovery is different, which is why every treatment plan is tailored to your condition, goals and progress.