When is it Safe to Return to My Sport after COVID-19?

By Tristyn Kinser, MS, LAT, ATC

When is it safe to return to my sport after COVID-19?

Participation in athletics has many health benefits such as promoting physical fitness, improved immune system, and mental wellness. Sports can also provide a place for young athletes to learn leadership, work ethic, integrity, and concepts of teamwork. It is also important for the athlete to ease back into play; due to lack of activity players are more susceptible to under-training and overuse injuries. With the Safe to return to sport after COVID-19, there are a number of precautions one should take.

Sports Equipment for return to sports

General health precautions for safe return to every sport include:

Stay home if you are feeling sick or have symptoms of an illness (cough, difficulty breathing, temperature >100 degrees)
Practice quarantine measures and see a physician If you are confirmed or suspected of COVID-19
Obtain appropriate clearance from a physician to allow for a return to sport
If you have been in contact with someone sick or diagnosed with COVID-19, begin quarantine for 14 days
Advise your coach of any possible exposures in your team
Disinfect all equipment before/after practice/competition
Wash hands with disinfectant soap and water for <20 seconds before going to practices
Avoid sharing equipment (water bottles, towels, balls, etc.)
Do not huddle, shake hands, fist bump, chest bump, etc.
Do not spit on the field
After the competition, do not congregate, do not use locker rooms, exit field immediately

Specific guidelines for safe return to sports are provided below:

Baseball

Assign spots in the dugout to maintain physical distancing
No personal player bat bags/equipment allowed in dugout, space accordingly outside of the dugout
Clean baseballs should be rotated through every 2 innings
NO spitting on the field or in the dugout
No handshake after the game

Baseball

Golf

Limit group sizes
Do not touch pin flags, clubs, carts, towels, or bags
Do not tee up other players golf balls
Smoother bunkers with feet or a club
Do not share scorecards/pencils

Gym/CrossFit

If possible, conduct workouts outside to maintain physical distancing
Sanitize equipment before a session and between every use

Lacrosse

Do not use shared pinnies.
Players should not touch-field equipment, goals, lacrosse balls, or sticks
Do not remove mouth guard once it is in during practice session
If mouth guard makes contact with hands or ground, immediately wash thoroughly

Soccer

Field players should not handle balls with their hands unless wearing gloves
For goalkeeper training (1) ball per goalkeeper, do not share
Use individual equipment, do not share water bottles, towels, flags, pinnies
Only touch the ball with feet

Tennis

Use new balls, new grips, and gloves if possible
When playing doubles, coordinate with a partner to maintain physical distancing
Use racquet/foot to pick up balls and hit them on your opponent
Maintain physical distancing when changing ends of the court
Use two sets of balls that are marked for each player. Serve only with your marked tennis balls.