Do you have persisent injuries? At what age did they begin?
- Thread starter lendl1986
- Start date
r2473
G.O.A.T.
What is your exercise/fitness history?
I was talking to a guy yesterday that is pretty hardcore into his sports. Rock climbing, hiking, trail running, and others. He said he got hurt doing a long trail run two years ago. He did a 16 mile run at about 6:30 pace. Much of it was downhill. He ended up with a pretty bad pain in his knee after that run. He has spent the last TWO SOLID YEARS slowly rehabbing to make sure that he gets it back to 100% and does not have a recurrence. Might seem crazy to some, but he won't be fighting this injury for the rest of his life because he only sort of let it heal and only kind of rehabbed it. He did it right and he is almost back to doing 6 min pace on trails he says. By the way he's not too far from 40 years old himself.
I tore my shoulder bench pressing some years ago and spent a solid year rehabbing myself. Has never given me a moments concern since. When I tore it, I could barely move my arm across my body, couldn't lift anything, and it even hurt to run.
Get a plan. Be patient. Rehab it right. You aren't as young as you used to be but there are a lot of fun years of "play" ahead. Be smart today, life healthy and pain free for life.
I was talking to a guy yesterday that is pretty hardcore into his sports. Rock climbing, hiking, trail running, and others. He said he got hurt doing a long trail run two years ago. He did a 16 mile run at about 6:30 pace. Much of it was downhill. He ended up with a pretty bad pain in his knee after that run. He has spent the last TWO SOLID YEARS slowly rehabbing to make sure that he gets it back to 100% and does not have a recurrence. Might seem crazy to some, but he won't be fighting this injury for the rest of his life because he only sort of let it heal and only kind of rehabbed it. He did it right and he is almost back to doing 6 min pace on trails he says. By the way he's not too far from 40 years old himself.
I tore my shoulder bench pressing some years ago and spent a solid year rehabbing myself. Has never given me a moments concern since. When I tore it, I could barely move my arm across my body, couldn't lift anything, and it even hurt to run.
Get a plan. Be patient. Rehab it right. You aren't as young as you used to be but there are a lot of fun years of "play" ahead. Be smart today, life healthy and pain free for life.
lendl1986
Rookie
I'm 6' 175 pounds.
Exercise 3-4 times a week.
Never had an injury before age 36.
Once I heal, I'll do 2 things differently:
1. Spend $1400 a year on private lessons. That's an hour lesson, once every 2 weeks, so I can learn correct technique and avoid injuries to my wrists, elbow, and shoulder.
2. Put 90 - 120 minutes a week into tennis-specific fitness training. This, I hope, will minimize risk of injury to back, knees, ankles, leg muscles and tendons.
Exercise 3-4 times a week.
Never had an injury before age 36.
Once I heal, I'll do 2 things differently:
1. Spend $1400 a year on private lessons. That's an hour lesson, once every 2 weeks, so I can learn correct technique and avoid injuries to my wrists, elbow, and shoulder.
2. Put 90 - 120 minutes a week into tennis-specific fitness training. This, I hope, will minimize risk of injury to back, knees, ankles, leg muscles and tendons.
maverick66
Hall of Fame
where is the teens option?
DirtBaller4
Rookie
My troubles all started at 35 when I was diagnosed with a spinal tumor the size of my thumb. It felt like my tailbone was going to pop out of the bottom of my body.
In the tumors wake was two discs which were pretty much all pushed to one side and bulging out. I have been in daily pain since but still get out a 2-3 times per week and ski two days a week in the winter.
After something like this happens you get a different outlook on life. Winning is really unimportant for me now, since I am just happy to be able to play.
Rehabbing is definitely part of the solution but it is no silver bullet.
Hydration, Tylenol, ice, and neoprene braces are also in my pain tool box.
In the tumors wake was two discs which were pretty much all pushed to one side and bulging out. I have been in daily pain since but still get out a 2-3 times per week and ski two days a week in the winter.
After something like this happens you get a different outlook on life. Winning is really unimportant for me now, since I am just happy to be able to play.
Rehabbing is definitely part of the solution but it is no silver bullet.
Hydration, Tylenol, ice, and neoprene braces are also in my pain tool box.
chollyred
Rookie
It seems that I've become injury prone since I hit 50 (I'll be 55 in August). I've fallen and broken an elbow, broken a heel, torn up a knee, and now have issues with my service side shoulder.
I used to do a lot of heavy lifting and aerobics (mainly cycling), but the shoulder has restricted the lifting. The heel and knee injuries broke the regimen of aerobics. I'm trying to do some body weight execises now, but it sure is hard to get back into a routine.
I used to do a lot of heavy lifting and aerobics (mainly cycling), but the shoulder has restricted the lifting. The heel and knee injuries broke the regimen of aerobics. I'm trying to do some body weight execises now, but it sure is hard to get back into a routine.
My hips have become a concern the last 5 years (I'm 41 now). I often wake up the next morning after a match and wonder how much longer I'll be able to play hard court singles tennis. I started doing some preventative type exercises when it got really bad, and things have gotten better, but the I got a sports hernia just recently, which is tied to the hip flexor issue.
My hips took a beating when I was younger playing hours of concrete court basketball during the warm weather.
My hips took a beating when I was younger playing hours of concrete court basketball during the warm weather.
r2473
G.O.A.T.
It's been hashed over millions of times here, but many of us feel that a good solid strength "base" is superior to tennis specific. I'm pretty sure this true for injury prevention and I'd say it is also true for performance.
After you get this, you can "polish it up" by doing tennis specific.
Solid base by the way is deadlift, squat, press, bench press (in some form), I'd advocate pullups and dips, as well as REAL core work.
By the way, I'd also advocate establishing an aerobic base for health and fitness, but I stand alone I think in this belief (probably because I'm one of the few on this board that have done and maintained it).
Anyway, good luck. I'm a bit older than you are but stay injury free and fit. I'm your height and weigh 207 and have a pretty accurate bf% test indicating I'm ~15%. I stay in shape these days with 5 mile runs 3-4 times a week at 8 min pace and bodyweight exercises in my office or basement.
For me, it was mostly rotator cuff problems starting at age 40. Possibly, 2 each side broken collarbones, and 2 each side separations and a dislocate could be a contributing factor besides basic wear and tear. Anyways, shaving with either hand was a sometime event, so I shaved with both hands, one supporting the elbow of the other. Same with teeth brushing.
Now 64, that hasn't changed at all.
Having torn tendons in my ankle doesn't really count, as surgery could have fixed it....maybe.
Now 64, that hasn't changed at all.
Having torn tendons in my ankle doesn't really count, as surgery could have fixed it....maybe.
Champs990411
Rookie
Took about five years off from the game and started playing again at 32. Can't play two days in a row. Have to shut myself down for months at a time. Forearm, upper arm, calf, Achilles, quad, and ingrown toenail.
Playing three matches in one day like I used to feels like it was a lifetime ago.
Playing three matches in one day like I used to feels like it was a lifetime ago.
lightthestorm
Rookie
I have a problem with my shoulder and upper hitting arm... it's not too big but it tweaks often.
Chas Tennis
G.O.A.T.
How Can You Distinguish Between Aging & Other Factors?
You might refine the poll to reflect
1) Aging
2) Playing with posture issues, especially of the hips & knees.
3) Playing after injury with pain so that healing is not optimal.
4) Playing with poor technique so that the body is stressed unnecessarily.
5) Possible inflections such as Lyme disease that may affect especially the knee joints. See the recent Guardian News story on back pain research and a bacterial association.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110202132605.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/may/07/antibiotics-cure-back-pain-patients
6) Others that get worse over time.
Probably mostly aging but these other factors can also lead to chronic conditions over time.
You can do something about these factors if you understand them but aging......
You might refine the poll to reflect
1) Aging
2) Playing with posture issues, especially of the hips & knees.
3) Playing after injury with pain so that healing is not optimal.
4) Playing with poor technique so that the body is stressed unnecessarily.
5) Possible inflections such as Lyme disease that may affect especially the knee joints. See the recent Guardian News story on back pain research and a bacterial association.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110202132605.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/may/07/antibiotics-cure-back-pain-patients
6) Others that get worse over time.
Probably mostly aging but these other factors can also lead to chronic conditions over time.
You can do something about these factors if you understand them but aging......
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lightthestorm
Rookie
nothing to do with that... ive had that problem for a long time now..
I injured my right ankle pretty badly almost 1 year ago exactly. To where one ankle was twice the size of the other one. I continued playing because we had sectionals, I just modified the way I ran and now my right foot arch is in constant pain, right ankle is still 1.5 times the other ankle, right knee hurts and my right hip if I switch directions too fast. Probably started not healing very well after 33. Can't go to the doctor because I know they'll say stop playing. I've got one last push for Nationals this year then I'll get everything looked at. But in your 30s stuff doesn't heal as quickly or even heal at all.
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ClintimusPrime
Rookie
I found out the hard way that the only way to get past injuries is to fully rehab them before stressing them more. I'm 27 now, started playing at 13, and had shoulder problems starting at 15. I would rehab enough to keep playing, until at 24 I damaged my shoulder so much that I needed reconstructive surgery. 12 years of playing, not a single day without pain.
This February was 2 years since my surgery, and I've never felt better. For the first time I did everything I was told to do, therapy, rest, etc. I've been playing 5+ days a week for about a year now and haven't had a single minute of shoulder pain. Getting over an injury is purely based on how seriously you take it, and how much preventative maintenance you do to keep yourself from getting injured again.
This February was 2 years since my surgery, and I've never felt better. For the first time I did everything I was told to do, therapy, rest, etc. I've been playing 5+ days a week for about a year now and haven't had a single minute of shoulder pain. Getting over an injury is purely based on how seriously you take it, and how much preventative maintenance you do to keep yourself from getting injured again.
A few things that I stress to my patients who have chronic pain, nagging injuries, etc.. is that:
You probably have unresolved soft tissue restrictions which may be contributing to your inability to fully resolve things.
You most likely have some postural misalignments due to your body's compensations for your pain which may be contributing to your inability to fully resolve things.
It won't matter how much you strengthen and cardio, if you don't take care of the above two, your symptoms will continue.
Stop treating just your symptomatic areas. Your body works as a unit, so you have to treat the whole unit!
If you can understand how the tennis kinetic chain works for generating pace works, well, there can easily be an injury kinetic chain as well.
So just as using your hips to generate power to get racquet head speed at your hands, you easily can have an restriction in your hips or a postural misalignment in your hips which may be contributing to your chronic tennis elbow for example.
You probably have unresolved soft tissue restrictions which may be contributing to your inability to fully resolve things.
You most likely have some postural misalignments due to your body's compensations for your pain which may be contributing to your inability to fully resolve things.
It won't matter how much you strengthen and cardio, if you don't take care of the above two, your symptoms will continue.
Stop treating just your symptomatic areas. Your body works as a unit, so you have to treat the whole unit!
If you can understand how the tennis kinetic chain works for generating pace works, well, there can easily be an injury kinetic chain as well.
So just as using your hips to generate power to get racquet head speed at your hands, you easily can have an restriction in your hips or a postural misalignment in your hips which may be contributing to your chronic tennis elbow for example.
Champs990411
Rookie
Scary thought. So what may contribute to unresolved off and on Achilles issues going back 4+ years? Short list of possibilities...
Chas Tennis
G.O.A.T.
The Achilles connects to the bone at the heel and the heel connects through the plantar fascia or other tissue to the front of your foot. The origin of the Achilles connects through the Soleus calf muscle to the lower leg bone and the other calf muscle, Gastrocnemius, connects above the knee to the upper leg bone, the femur. This forms a chain from the toe to the upper leg that gets a lot of stress in normal activity and especially in tennis.
There are life style issues such as sitting, watching TV and sleeping for many hours of the week with the knee bent and/or toes pointed. This position might tend to let the Achilles and calf muscles get short and tight. First research tight calves, plantar fasciitis, Achilles injury, tight calves.
Associated injuries are plantar fasciitis, Achilles injuries, calf muscle injuries.
Preventive stretches and exercises intended for prevention of injury for healthy tissues are well known for tight calves. But if you are injured you should see a Dr to see what you should do as exercise and stretches for injured tissues can cause additional injury.
Here's a post with some life style issues. I'm over the plantar fasciitis and some very minor, occassional, Achilles pain. I believe that taking off for a while and stretching both tight calve muscles corrected tightness.
There are life style issues such as sitting, watching TV and sleeping for many hours of the week with the knee bent and/or toes pointed. This position might tend to let the Achilles and calf muscles get short and tight. First research tight calves, plantar fasciitis, Achilles injury, tight calves.
Associated injuries are plantar fasciitis, Achilles injuries, calf muscle injuries.
Preventive stretches and exercises intended for prevention of injury for healthy tissues are well known for tight calves. But if you are injured you should see a Dr to see what you should do as exercise and stretches for injured tissues can cause additional injury.
Here's a post with some life style issues. I'm over the plantar fasciitis and some very minor, occassional, Achilles pain. I believe that taking off for a while and stretching both tight calve muscles corrected tightness.
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Unresolved soft tissue restrictions in your calf. Your current "rehab" of your Achilles allows your pain to become "below the radar" so to speak, but over time, the physical stress of whatever you're doing allows the pain to "get on the radar". The time frame varies, but is why it's reoccuring.
Postural misalignment in your ankle, foot, knee, and/or hip. Doesn't have to even be the same side that you're having issues.
Think of it like a rope. You'll tug one end of the rope but you can feel it at the other end. So if your hip is one end and is tugging, but you only feel it at the other end, your achilles, of course, you'll only treat where you feel it. Again, might feel ok for a bit....until the hip tugs hard again.
Actual structural issue in your knee, ankle, foot, whereever.
