Sprained wrist, out for 2 weeks+ going nuts.

[J011yroger]

Any ideas of stuff to do with my sudden free time? I am going to coach a good amount, watch video, and get all of my equipment tuned up. Maybe do some speedwork/agility work.

But loosing 2 weeks+ right when tournament season is getting into full swing is a killer for me. It has been 4 days and I am already going nuts, had to withdraw from a tournament already, and will probably miss my next one this weekend.

Getting cabin fever and looking for ideas.

I guess its better to not be on court and wishing you were rather than being on court and wishing you werent.

J

[Mountain Ghost]

I’d advise doing what I myself would hate to have to do. Put a substantial brace on the injured wrist so you’re not tempted (or able) to use it, then go out and play with some “lesser” players using your non-dominant hand . . . one-handed on both sides.

It will force you to concentrate on your footwork, balance and racquet preparation in a completely unique way and it may help to even out the “one-sided” body awareness and strength that most tennis players develop. It will also help your coaching skills, since you’ll have to teach yourself using the exact same methods and solutions you would when teaching a beginner.

MG

[snoopy]

It stinks that it happened during tournament season. But other than that it's not really so bad to take a break from tennis.

Concentrate on your fitness and footwork. Go for some distance runs, sprints, bike rides, hikes, etc.

Plus take a chance to relax a little. Judging from all the tennis you play your body probably can use it.

[Bodacious DVT]

hey thats cool try this:

sprained ankle, out for 6 months.

yea thats reeeaally fun. i sprained it last july, then went on a trip (it got worse). came back and iced and wraped it. went to the doctor, they said to ice it(gee thanks). 4 weeks later went to the doctor, they said to get an xray to check if it was broken. it wasnt. they said to get physical therapy. like 3 months of PT and im back in tennis, just in time for the season. i still roll it from time to time but its like indestructable now.

I'd ice it for twenty minutes, wait twenty minutes, and repeat. keep it wrapped at all times. consider getting some PT (best thing for it). I got PT and they hooked me up with some elastic resistance exercises that worked great! hope you get better soon.

[princess bossass]

Get outside a lot--do some hiking (as a bonus, it strengthens your ankles so you have one less body part prone to injury). The sunshine and breeze keeps the blues away.

Anyway, I'm sorry about your injury! A couple weeks ago I rolled my ankle over and thought my season was over, so I sympathize. Granted four days later it was practically good as new, but I still empathize with that helpless feeling. I hope you have a quick recovery and your PT makes your wrist stronger than ever.

[OrangeOne]

Originally Posted by Bodacious DVT

just in time for the season. i still roll it from time to time but its like indestructable now.

Do you tape / brace it? I'm sure your PT would have suggested it, but it's always worth thinking about. Tape can work in two ways - physical protection plus perception-based protection (the body is aware of the tape, and is thus slightly more aware of the risky area.

Originally Posted by J011yroger

Any ideas of stuff to do with my sudden free time? I am going to coach a good amount, watch video, and get all of my equipment tuned up. Maybe do some speedwork/agility work.

(As others have said - you probably want to tape or brace the crap out of the wrist before doing anything active at all, and also get medical approval).

A. If you're coaching, are we to assume you sprained your non-dominant wrist? Or are we to assume you sprained your dominant wrist and you're planning on feeding with the non-dominant?

B. I'd definitely get stuck into the speed, endurance & agility work. Alternate each day, maybe a speed/agil day, a recovery day, a long-run day, a recovery day.

C. Weights. I'd hit the weights-room with the non-injured arm, head to the dumbbell area and do whatever you can. If it's your dom side you're working, great, if it's your non-dom side, great too! Studies have shown a 5-15% 'improvement' in the side you do not work in such scenarios simply through neuro-training and the exercise generating higher-quality blood products in your system too, not to mention the strength and/or endurance gains.

D. Spend (more) time on stretching. If you're seeing a PT / Physio, (and I hope you are), then get them to quickly check your leg flexibility & lower-body alignment. Odds are you're not perfect, and they could, in 5-10mins if not less, assign you some stretching and strengthening exercises to work on there too.

E. Abdominal training - more here too. If you're hitting less, you'll get less of a core workout, so it's time to focus here too, 'most all ab-work doesn't involve the hands in a weight-bearing capacity.

[J011yroger]

Hurt my playing hand, if it was my left, I would be playing, and hitting slice backhands a plenty.

I can feed OK lefty, and probably play 3.0-3.5 lefty (Cant serve tho).

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. Keep em commin.

J

[dave333]

I broke my wrist and I played 3 hours today though its my non-dominant hand thats broken.

Felt great though, haven't played for 2 weeks. I'm getting a small cast in 3 days, then I wear that for a bit

[zapvor]

that sucks dude. now whos going to take on Roger?

[J011yroger]

Originally Posted by zapvor

that sucks dude. now whos going to take on Roger?

Im still up for it, we will both play lefty and I will tie his shoes together.

Should be close.

J

[zapvor]

Originally Posted by J011yroger

Im still up for it, we will both play lefty and I will tie his shoes together.

Should be close.

J

hahahah. i would love to see that!

[blubber]

Although you provide some of the best info on TW, if you can't play tennis for 2 weeks I strongly advise you to stay off these boards! You'll go crazy.

Go run on the beach if you can, it'll really knock you out. Plus, you can relax by the ocean when you're done.

[OrangeOne]

Ok - from thinking - proposed one-arm weights session:

1. DB Bench Press
2. DB Row (Lying down on bench, rowing up)
3. DB Shoulder Press
4. DB Upright Row
5. Abs

--> Nice, balanced, could add Tricep & Bicep - specific stuff at end if you were keen, but I don't think it's necessary given the compound exercises there. Given you're working your non-dom-side, this for a few weeks would probably nice from an injury prevention perspective. Note: this assumes you already regularly work with weights and are comfortable with good form.

[J011yroger]

One by one the penguins steal my sanity. . .

J

[boojay]

sucks to hear that man.

rent TopSpin for XBOX?

Kidding aside though, if I were out of commission, I'd be reading a lot and biking if it were possible.

[fgs]

j011yroger,
two weeks out is not a lifetime, it will pass. do some physical training, sprints, etc. as others have suggested and for heavens sake don't overdo the first few days when back on court.
i was out last year for a months due to some knee troubles. i was really HUNGRY and entered a tournament right after my knee felt o.k. i was really kicking butt, but then 8 hrs. in two days after a months layoff got to my bloody wrist - tendinitis. lost the semifinal because i couldn't topspin properly anymore. then i took some antiinflammatories and stayed at home 10 days. i felt o.k. and decided to start playing again, but it was too soon. after 15 minutes of serious hitting i walked off the court and now it was like three weeks i had to stay away. so you should better put in another one or two damn days than taking yourself out for five weeks like this bloody old idiot has managed to do.
quick and good recovery.

[J011yroger]

Yea, my wrists are soft because of how I hit anyway, so I listen to them and keep them strong, just pissed because they were feeling very good, and I hurt it at work, not even on court. I won't do anything to jepordize long term.

J

[boojay]

Originally Posted by J011yroger

I won't do anything to jepordize long term.

J

you are wise.

[babolat15]

J, how often do you break strings, i see you have 15 frames, thats quite a few

[J011yroger]

Originally Posted by babolat15

J, how often do you break strings, i see you have 15 frames, thats quite a few

With a good partner in a hitting session I can break ALU Rough in under 2 hours. I will probably go through about 250 stringjobs this year.

J