Modern approaches to assessing and enhancing athletic performance after critical illness

Recovering from a critical illness presents significant challenges for athletes, as they must overcome physiological deconditioning, muscular atrophy, and psychological barriers before returning to peak performance. Modern approaches combining advanced assessments, rehabilitation strategies, and technology-driven interventions have emerged to facilitate this transition in recent years. The primary focus is to restore strength, endurance, neuromuscular coordination, and mental resilience while minimizing the risk of reinjury [1]. One of the key methods for assessing athletic performance post-illness is functional performance testing, which includes field-based tests such as the six-minute walk test, critical speed assessments, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. These tests provide objective measures of aerobic capacity, muscular endurance, and movement efficiency, enabling personalized rehabilitation protocols [2].