Although most injuries have accepted protocols for diagnosis and treatment, all injuries are unique to some extent. This is where a health practitioners experience comes to the fore.
For example, if a physio has treated many ACLs, specifically in AFL players, then they will be more able to fine tune a rehab program specific to that particular player's injury and requirements. If they have only ever looked after NRL knees, then their ability to be intuitive about an AFL knee, especially if it starts to deviate from the usual, is not as good as someone who has the experience.
In medicine and healthcare in general, we try to practice in a robust, evidence based way. However, there is still no substitute for specific experience in a particular patients, particular problem.
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