INTRODUCTION: Careers in snowsports often have severe musculoskeletal injuries. 1 Accordingly, return to sport processes after injuries play critical roles in continuing athletes' careers. The aim of this study was to explore current practices, challenges and opportunities related to return to sport in snowsports. METHODS: Qualitative study. Semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 international expert stakeholders participating in the return to sport processes of snowsport athletes, including coaches, athletes, physiotherapists, sport psychologists and medical staff. Data were transcribed verbatim and analysed based on constant comparative analysis, employing principles of grounded theory. 2 Codes were grouped into themes, and the main theories emerged. RESULTS: According to the expert stakeholders, a structured process is necessary to guarantee quality and thus the best possible rehabilitation process for the athletes. However, an analysis of the current practices revealed considerable differences in the degree of structuring between the different phases depending on the specific settings. While in an early rehabilitation phase, the process, interventions and milestones are well oriented on scientific evidence, in later phases they are mostly driven by practical experience. A major challenge mentioned by most of the stakeholders appears to be the risk of information loss between the transition of the rehabilitation phases and the diffusion of responsibilities among the different professional groups/players involved. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: To obtain the different perspectives on a common denominator, it is necessary to consider rehabilitation as a holistic process. This requires cross-phase information flow to improve the collaboration of all stakeholders.
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